Hell Hath No Fury
by jacyevans
Summary: Buffy and the gang are called to Hogwarts to protect Harry...but what happens when Giles uncovers a prophecy that concerns both the Chosen One AND the Boy Who Lived? *COMPLETE!*
1. A Letter and an Owl

A/N: OK, I've had this idea for a fanfic for a while, but I never posted it because I was lazy. But, after much pestering from my friends, I've decided to anyways.  
  
Notes that you should know:  
  
I'm COMPLETELY screwing around with timeframes. This takes place after the episode Afterlife (the third episode of season six) because, for my sanity's sake, the whole of season six just DOES NOT fit in with my story. Therefore, that whole thing w/ the nerd brigade never happened, and Tara is very much alive (YAY!)  
  
Oh, that also means that the scoobies don't know that Buffy was in heaven.uh oh.. : P The only thing I'm taking from after "Afterlife" is that Giles DID go back to England. Besides that, everything after that ep NEVER HAPPENED! Got it? : ) If I DO add in anything that doesn't belong, just let me know in your review, ok?? Thanks.  
  
Oh yeh, Harry and the gang are in their SEVENTH YEAR, not fifth. Things may happen, and I need them to be a little older for those things : )  
  
Disclaimer: I'm only saying this once - I own nothing. Sorry folks.  
  
Hell Hath No Fury  
  
Chapter One - A Letter and an Owl  
  
Buffy sat in the Magic Box with her chin on her hand. She sighed and tried to listen to the ongoing conversations around her. She smiled as Xander said something witty.  
  
"So anyways, there I was, in the middle of Sunnydale Mall wearing nothing but an.AHH!"  
  
Xander jumped up from his seat and pointed towards the doorway of the Magic Box.  
  
"Xander, what are you screaming a- Oh." Willow backed up towards Tara.  
  
"What are you guys." Buffy's voice trailed off as she looked towards the door. She walked over.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?" She said, not with malice, but concern.  
  
"Thanks for the warm welcome B. Always knew I could count on you for that." Faith smiled wryly and crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"She's a killer! Anya, kill her!" Xander said frantically.  
  
"What do I look like, a demon?" Everyone looked at her, blinking.  
  
"Never mind."  
  
"Buffy why are you just standing there? KILL HER!" Xander said loudly. Buffy held up her hand. "How did you get out?"  
  
Faith grinned. "Favor from an old friend of mine. Oh, and that wasn't all he did." She pulled a letter out of her pocket.  
  
"Ah! It's a bomb!"  
  
"Xander, PLEASE!" Buffy said, annoyed.  
  
She opened the letter and read the first few lines. Then she read them again. She sat down in a chair, shocked.  
  
"Oh my - how.how."  
  
"Like I said, a friend owed me a favor. And.I don't know. I figured that maybe I owed this to you."  
  
Buffy looked at her and cocked her head. Faith just gazed back. Buffy nodded and pulled Faith into a hug.  
  
"Whoa, hey, B. I never was the mushy type."  
  
Buffy laughed a little. "Thank you."  
  
Buffy looked at her shocked group of friends. "I'll explain later. Faith, why don't we go downstairs and talk."  
  
Buffy put the letter on the table and walked Faith downstairs, knowing very well her friends would read it.  
  
Just as she thought, her friends practically dove for it.  
  
"I got it!" Willow yelled, snatching her hand away from Xander's grasp. She read it to herself and her eyes widened.  
  
"Holy shit."  
  
"Will, you mind sharing with the rest of the class?" Anya said annoyed.  
  
Willow nodded and cleared her thraot.  
  
Dear Buffy,  
  
I don't know where to start. I don't quite understand why this happened, but it did. I wanted you to be the first to know. Well, besides Faith.  
  
Buffy.I'm human. I don't.I'm not completely sure how. Faith attempted to explain but.I'm still unsure of it all.  
  
I'm coming to Sunnydale in a few days, for reasons which I'm sure you'll be aware of soon. I just wanted you to know how much I still love you, and that, maybe, with this new development, we could be together again. I don't know what else I could say to you sway your opinion on this matter. I know what happened, and I'd like to talk to you about it. As it is, maybe we can identify with each other on a few things.  
  
I don't know what else to say to you except.I love you, with all of my now beating heart and mortal soul.  
  
Love, Angel  
  
Willow closed the letter and put it back in the envelope.  
  
"Wow.." Tara said under her breath.  
  
"Yeh. I hope she's ok with all this. Especially since she just - "  
  
"Don't Will. Please, don't say it." Willow looked at Xander and put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"So you're saying this.Black owed you a favor?"  
  
Faith nodded and pulled off her jacket. "He owed my mother a favor.long story there. Basically, she saved his life at one point and he never got to pay her back. So, he helped me out instead. He said he needed some protectoin for this kid in this school, his godson, and that if I would help him out, he would pay back that favor by helping me out."  
  
"So he got you out of jail?"  
  
"And cleaned my record. He said something about being able to identify with me, even though I heard him grumble something under his breath about 'being guilty.'" Faith sighed.  
  
"So where does Angel come in on all this?" Buffy asked, sitting down on the floor.  
  
"Well, Sirius said something about my mom helping him on more then one occasion. He never got a chance to explain though because Angel walked in. They both looked at each other and said 'You.' It was pretty funny now that I think about it." Faith smiled at the memory and Buffy arched an eyebrow.  
  
Faith shrugged. "What?.ah, anyway, turns out Angel had helped him get out of a jam the night before with something called a Dementor. He explained to me what it was - this horrible creature that sucks out your soul. Imagine being a soulless creature? Can you think of how evil - "  
  
Buffy just looked at her and Faith cut herself off. "Sorry. Didn't mean to tread on fragile ground."  
  
"Skip to the end." Buffy said, annoyed.  
  
"Right. Well, Sirius said he now owed Angel something , and was curious to know what he wanted. He said that he knew how bad debts could be, and he wanted to pay his off as soon as possible. So Angel said one word under his breath - 'Buffy'."  
  
Buffy swallowed the lump in her throat. "Go on." She said quietly.  
  
"So, Angel explained his situation to him, and how it just wasn't possible for you two to be with each other. And you know what Sirius did? He LAUGHED. We were shocked. "  
  
~*Flashback*~  
  
"I'm sorry!" Sirius said quickly. "It's just that.well, I can help you."  
  
"You can?" Faith said, disbelieveing.  
  
"Yes. I can. I know of a very complex spell that can be performed by only one wizard , who I happen to know. Angel.you can be human."  
  
Angel just gaped at him. "I.I don't believe it. I.I." His voice trailed off.  
  
"Don't mention it. And I mean that. I can have someone perform that spell, but you can't tell anyone what happened during the spell, not under ANY circumstances, or the whole spell will be reversed, and you'll be right back where you were before. Can you handle that?"  
  
Angel stood there thinking. He came to a decision. "Yes. Yes I can."  
  
~*End Flashback*~  
  
"So he went off with Sirius for a few days and when he came back.well.it worked. He gave me this letter to give to you and said that he would meet me here in a couple of days. He said you would know why he was coming."  
  
"But I don't!"  
  
As Buffy said this, a single brown eagle owl flew down the stairs and into Buffy's lap.  
  
"Hello bird. What have you got there?" She untied the letter from the owl's leg. The owl then ruffled his feathers and flew up to sit on one of the ledges in the ceiling.  
  
"Should I open it?"  
  
Faith nodded.  
  
Buffy read the letter aloud.  
  
"Dear Ms. Summers - "  
  
"Formal much?"  
  
"Faith." Buffy growled through clenched teeth.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
Buffy cleared her throat.  
  
Dear Ms. Summers,  
  
I hope this letter finds you well. I understand that you know about Angel and the spell cast on him. I ask that you not mention it to anyone but your four friends and your sister.  
  
I have recently asked your fellow slayer if she would aid me this year at the school where I am headmaster. Now, I am asking you.  
  
There is a boy here, a seventh year by the name of Harry Potter, who is in dire need of protection. I fear that this year he will be attacked, and that it will be far worse then any other times he has faced this certain opponent.  
  
I am asking that you come here to teach a new class, Defense Against Muggle Attacks. Your friends may come here as well, and you may be surprised about one of our newest students.  
  
Please send your response with Iris as soon as possible.  
  
Hope to see you in September.  
  
Sincerely, Albus Dumbledore - Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
  
"So, you got the letter then?"  
  
Buffy spun around in a fighting stance. "Tara. Jesus, don't do that."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"No no wait, lemme guess. You guys not only read my letter, but you read this one as well."  
  
"It was dropped into my lap. I couldn't help it."  
  
"But why would she -"  
  
"I used to go to Hogwarts. That's why. Iris recognized me because I used to send letters home all the time using her. She thought the letter was for me even though it was addressed to you. "  
  
"YOU went to Hogwarts?" Faith asked confused.  
  
"Well, why else do you think you never sw me in Sunnydale before college?"  
  
Buffy and Faith shook their heads.  
  
"Look, I know this is a lot to deal with right now. But I've heard stories about this kid, Harry, that they want you to protect. He needs your protection Buffy."  
  
Buffy sighed.  
  
"Faith hand me a pen. Looks like we're going to Hogwarts."  
  
A/N: Well, first chapter done. What do you think?  
  
Please review.  
  
Oh yeh, was there anything between Buffy and Spike in season FIVE? Please let me know in your review, because I'm not 100% sure, and it's sort if relevant to the plot at a certain point. Thanks!  
  
~* Luv, Jacy *~ 


	2. Myth? I Think Not

A/N: I forgot to mention this before. In this story, Xander and Anya are married - and no, she's not a demon :p  
  
OK, from now on, I'm going to try and respond to my reviewers.  
  
Thank you to fairysk8ter for my first review! Oh, and thanks also for the season five input. Now I know what I have to go fix ::grumbles::.Ok, ONWARD!  
  
Chapter Two - Myth? I Think Not  
  
"Dawn, what do you mean you're going to stay?"  
  
Dawn glared at her sister. "What? You think Giles can't take care of me?" Giles had come in from England earlier that week for reasons he would not reveal, even though Buffy suspected that Dawn knew something, but she hadn't voiced her suspicions. He had been staying at the Summers household camping out on the couch.  
  
"No, it's just that." Buffy sighed and put her hands on her sister's shoulders. "I want to be able to keep my eye on you. Its not that I don't trust you - "  
  
"It just that you don't trust everybody else. God, do you know how mom-ish you sound when you say that?" Buffy threw a pillow at Dawn, who giggled.  
  
The doorbell rang.  
  
"Who's - " Buffy was already out the door and halfway down the stairs before Dawn could finish.  
  
She got to the front door and opened it.  
  
"Buffy."  
  
Buffy smiled. "Angel."  
  
Buffy pulled Angel into a hug. She could feel his pulse beating in his chest. She put her palm over his heart.  
  
"I thought it might have been a dream." Buffy said, tearing up.  
  
"No. I thought the same thing at first. But.it's not. It's all very real." Buffy looked up at him and smiled. She pulled him into another hug.  
  
"Awe." Buffy turned around and dried her eyes as a chorus of awes filled the room. Angel shifted his weight from foot to foot.  
  
"I have to go upstairs and get my bags. I'll be right back." She gave him a kiss on the cheek and whispered in his ear, "I'm glad you're back."  
  
Buffy bounded the stairs in twos.  
  
"Only you could make her that happy Dead Boy."  
  
"Nope, can't call me that anymore Xand. I have a pulse now, remember?"  
  
"Oh.Damn."  
  
Angel smirked.  
  
"That has to be the happiest I've seen her in months. Only you could make her THAT happy Angel.Thank you."  
  
Angel smiled shyly at Giles and mumbled, "Have you told her yet?"  
  
"No. Dumbledore asked me to keep it a secret. He wants it to be a surprise."  
  
Angel smiled. "Oh, she'll be surprised alright."  
  
"Ready." Buffy came down the stairs, Faith trailing close behind.  
  
"Hey Angel. Long time no see."  
  
"Hi Faith." He said wearily.  
  
Buffy gave both Giles and Dawn a hug. "We'll owl you as soon as we can, ok?"  
  
"You'd better. I want to know all about how cool everything is." Dawn smiled.  
  
She walked the group to the door with a chorus of hugs and "Byes."  
  
They walked out and Dawn leaned against the closed door.  
  
"So, do you think she knows Giles?"  
  
"Nope." He smiled. "She doesn't have a clue." Dawn smiled back.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Oy! Harry! Over here!"  
  
Harry smiled as he caught sight of Ron at the end of the train - the last car, as usual.  
  
Harry dragged his trunk along and Ron helped him load it into their car.  
  
"Harry!"  
  
"Oof!" Harry was smothered in a hug from Hermione.  
  
"Ow - Hermione, you're cutting off my air supply."  
  
"Oh, sorry."  
  
"She did the same thing to me. 'Mione, I think you bruised my arm."  
  
"Oh, I'll bruise your arm if you really want me to."  
  
Ron grinned at Harry.  
  
The three students got on the train and began discussing the upcoming year.  
  
"Did you hear about the new teachers?" Hermione asked.  
  
"What? You mean Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Harry asked.  
  
"Not only that." Ron said smirking a bit. "There's this new class that everyone is required to take, even the first years, called Defense Against Muggle Attacks."  
  
"I heard that two Muggles are teaching it! I hope they're good."  
  
"Dumbledore wouldn't have hired them if they weren't good Hermione."  
  
"Umm...Lockhart?" Harry said laughing.  
  
Ron shrugged. "Point taken. I heard that the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is a vampire."  
  
Hermione shuddered. "Why on earth would Dumbledore have hired a vampire?"  
  
"He hired a werewolf four years ago. Why not a vampire?" Harry asked.  
  
Hermione sighed. "I guess you're right."  
  
The door next door to theirs slammed, and they all jumped.  
  
"Buffy?"  
  
Buffy slid to the floor and buried her face in her hands crying.  
  
"Buffy." Buffy looked up into Angel's concerned eyes.  
  
"I can't keep lying. They all think they know.they all think they know." This sent Buffy into another fit of tears.  
  
"I know Buffy. I know." Angel pulled her into his arms and she cried into his shoulder.  
  
She whispered, almost inaudibly, "No, you don't."  
  
Hermione, Harry and Ron were watching the scene from the doorway of their car. They looked at each other and mentally shrugged.  
  
"What was that about?" Hermione whispered.  
  
"I'm not sure." Harry said, continuing to look down the hall.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
The students in the Great Hall clapped as Sally Zenith was the last student to be sorted and Professor McGonagall put the Sorting Hat away.  
  
"Congratulations First Years. I have a few announcements. As usual, the Forbidden Forest is, as the name suggests, forbidden. No student is to go out of the castle unaccompanied by an adult after class times. Not even to go visit another teacher who lives outside the castle."  
  
Hermione, Ron, and Harry glanced at each other.  
  
"I am happy to announce quite a few new arrivals this year, beginning with a new seventh year student. She is a transfer student from a Muggle school who won't so much be learning magic as observing it. She will be staying in the Gryffindor dormitory."  
  
A tall girl with layered brown hair and brown eyes walked up to the professors' table. She smiled at Buffy's dumbfounded expression.  
  
"May I please introduce Dawn Summers."  
  
The room burst into applause and Dawn sat down at the Gryffindor table, grinning at her sister's absolutely shocked face.  
  
"The rest are some of your new professors. Professor Summers and Professor Morgan will be teaching a new class which you are all required to take called Defense Against Muggle Attacks." Buffy and Faith stood up.  
  
"A little young to be professors aren't they?" Hermione said. Harry just shrugged.  
  
"Professor O' Flaherty and Professor Giles will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts." Buffy looked down the table, where she saw Giles seated next to Dumbledore. He beamed at her.  
  
'No more surprises. Oh please, no more surprises.' Buffy thought frantically.  
  
"And Professors Rosenburg, Harris, Harris and McClay. They will be assistants to any teachers who need their help. They will also be patrolling the halls at all hours of the night. Which means no sneaking around." He said this with a twinkle in his eye.  
  
"Alright, enough welcoming for now - let's eat!"  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"Dawn Marie Summers, I cannot believe you would do this to me."  
  
Dawn laughed at her sister. "I got the letter from Dumbledore a week before you got yours. Giles explained the situation to me. Of course I said I wanted to come! So they made arrangements."  
  
Buffy shook her head. "After all we've been through, you'd trick me like that Giles? And how do you know Dumbledore anyway? You seem pretty close to him."  
  
Giles smirked. "Call it payback for all the things you've ever done to trick me. And I know Dumbledore from here actually. Hard as it might be to believe, I attended Hogwarts years ago when Dumbledore was still only a teacher. We've kept in touch over the years, and when he told me that he was going to ask you if you wanted to come here, he asked if.well.if, in your condition - "  
  
"Yeh, I get it Giles. Let's not go there now, ok?"  
  
"Agreed. Well, we should all get some rest. Who's rooming where then?"  
  
"Umm.Willow and Tara are sharing a room, so are Anya and Xander, and me and Angel."  
  
Giles quirked an eyebrow at this last pairing.  
  
"What? Did you really expect something else? How naïve are you Giles, really?" She over dramatically rolled her eyes making Dawn burst into a fit of giggles.  
  
"On that note, I am retiring to my room. Goodnight all."  
  
"G'night Giles." Dawn said, still giggling.  
  
"Dawnie, the Gryffindors are heading to their dorms. You'd better follow."  
  
"Already on it Will. See you guys later. And yes Buffy, I know where to find you." She burst into a small fit of giggles and ran off to catch up with the other Gryffindors.  
  
"I'm pretty tired myself. Angel, you coming?"  
  
"Yeah. Who's patrolling the halls tonight?"  
  
"Dumbledore gave us a list of shifts so we wouldn't have to figure it out ourselves." Anya said, feeling important. "It's the same every night. The students can't come out of the dorms after midnight. The first shift is me and Tara from midnight to two. The second shift is Xander and Willow from two to four, and the final shift is Buffy and Angel from four to six, when the students can start walking around again."  
  
They all nodded. "Ok. Well, we're off to bed then. See you guys in the morning."  
  
"Goodnight Buffy."  
  
"Night Xander."  
  
Buffy looked at Angel and they walked off to their room, holding hands.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Check mate."  
  
Harry groaned as he lost yet another game of chess to Ron.  
  
"Alright, I give up. You win the bet." He handed Ron five galleons. Ron smiled from ear to ear.  
  
"Hey, have you talked to the new girl yet?" Ron asked Hermione.  
  
"Why? You fancy her Ron?"  
  
"Maybe I do Harry. Why, do you?"  
  
"No." He said blushing slightly. "I actually have someone else in mind." He glanced over to Hermione and Ron shook his head. "If you don't ask her out this year mate, I will."  
  
"You wouldn't!"  
  
Ron hit him on in the back of the head. "Not for me you nitwit!"  
  
"Right. I - I knew that." Ron laughed at Harry's embarrassed expression.  
  
Dawn sat on an armchair in the corner of the common room, reading a book Giles had given her. It was all about the First Slayer and the Key. Dawn wanted to learn more about the person who she was - and the person who made Buffy take her life in place of her own. A tear slid down her cheek at the memory, which she abruptly brushed away.  
  
"Reading anything interesting?" Dawn jumped and slammed the book closed.  
  
"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."  
  
"It's ok. You're Ron, right?"  
  
Ron smiled. "Yeah. And you're Dawn. Are you by any chance related to Professor Summers?"  
  
Dawn smiled. "Yup. She's my sister."  
  
"I figured as much. Do all of you know each other? I mean, all of the new teachers seem to know each other."  
  
"Yeah, they do. They all do actually. Xander - I mean, Professor Harris is married to.Professor Harris. And the rest of them know each other from school and college and stuff. I'm rambling aren't I?"  
  
Ron laughed. "Not really. Hey Hermione."  
  
"Hey Ron. Hey.Dawn, isn't it?"  
  
"Yup, I'm Dawn."  
  
"What are you reading?" Hermione asked, trying to get a look at the cover.  
  
"Umm.it's a book.about." She quickly contemplated whether or not to tell them about the whole slayer thing. She figured there was no harm in it, so she finished with, "It's a book about the First Slayer."  
  
"The slayer.you mean, like the chosen one slayer?"  
  
"One and the same. You've heard of her?" Dawn asked, surprised.  
  
"Yes. I've read about the slayer. But she's only a myth." She said matter- of-factly.  
  
Dawn stood up, obviously slightly offended. "She's not a myth, I can quite assure you of that. Goodnight."  
  
She picked up her book and walked off, leaving both Hermione and Ron lost in confusion.  
  
"Was it something I said?"  
  
A/N: Another question - were Faith, Anya, and/or Tara's last names mentioned at all during the show? If so and you know any of the three, please mention it in your review. Thanks! 


	3. Toto, We're Not in Kansas Anymore

A/N: Thanks to all for the reviews!  
  
OK, responses:  
  
Fairys8ter: thanks again! I went back and changed the names, but now I have to go and replace a chapter cuz I uploaded instead of replaced.*sigh*  
  
JamieXH: Thank you. OK, I thought so w/ Tara's name, but I wasn't 100% sure.Mr. Angel. Ha ha, that's funny : )  
  
Mishi: don't worry about it - I have a Buffy/Spike crossover w/ HP in the works  
  
Riverchic1998: THANK YOU! Anya's name may come in later, so I needed that. OF COURSE I'M GOING TO CONTINUE IT! What kind of fan do you think I am? :P  
  
Rashaka: Once again, I have a B/S crossover in the works. It's there! I promise. But for now it's an S/? pairing.you'll have to see : )  
  
Faith: Got ya. OK. This is helpful, info. Thank you : )  
  
Steph: Already got chapter four in the works. It will soon follow  
  
OK, done now. ONWARD!  
  
Chapter Three - Toto, We're Not in Kansas Anymore (sorry, I had to put that quote in somewhere lol)  
  
Ron walked off alone to breakfast. He wanted to give Harry time alone to talk to Hermione.  
  
But, as usual, Harry put it off for another day because not even five minutes later, Harry came walking into the Great Hall, chatting with Dawn.  
  
"So, you live with your sister and your sister's friends, both of which happen to be Muggle witches and professors here?"  
  
Dawn laughed. "Yeh. We're all just one big happy dysfunctional family."  
  
"What about your parents?"  
  
Harry knew he hit a soft spot because Dawn's face quickly changed from happy to sad and she flinched slightly.  
  
"Well.my parents split up when I was nine. My dad lives in LA - Los Angeles - and I never see him. My mom - she died. Last year.  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you think about something like that."  
  
"Nah, it's ok. Just - I don't really want to talk about it too much if I don't have to, alright?" Talking about Joyce's death always inadvertently made Dawn think about her sister's death, and she had done enough of that last night, enough that she hadn't gotten an ounce of sleep.  
  
Harry nodded. He understood. He understood completely.  
  
"Mornin' Harry"  
  
"Morning Ron. You get our schedules yet?"  
  
"Right here." He handed Harry his. "We have Potions with the Slytherins first, as usual." Ron grumbled a string of nasty words under his breath.  
  
Harry looked at his schedule and Dawn looked over his shoulder.  
  
Potions, Slytherins Break Divination Lunch Defense Against the Dark Arts Break Double Defense Against Muggle Attacks, Gryffindor and Slytherin 6th and 7th Years  
  
"Huh, that's a first."  
  
"What is? Hermione asked walking up to them.  
  
"We have a class with the sixth years. Wonder why."  
  
Hermione shrugged and helped herself to a piece of toast.  
  
"Dawn, do you have a schedule?" Ron asked her hopefully.  
  
"I got it this morning. The only things I don't have with you are Divination - I have Rune Studies - "  
  
"You're with me then." Hermione smiled and Dawn smiled back, nodding.  
  
"And I have to go talk to Buffy - I mean, Professor Summers during lunch every day."  
  
"Why is that?" Hermione asked.  
  
Dawn looked slightly panicked. "Um, no reason." She glanced up at the professors' table, where Faith was calling her over.  
  
"See you later." She walked off, sighing with relief. Ron watched her and sighed.  
  
"Awe, is Ickle Ronniekins smitten?" Ron glared at Hermione, who laughed. "It's so obvious. She likes you too, I can tell these things. Talk to her. It won't hurt."  
  
"You should take your own advice." Ron looked at her out of the corner of his eye.  
  
Hermione glanced at Harry, grabbed her books, and announced, "I'm going to the library." She stormed off.  
  
"What was that about?" Harry asked with a mouthful of bacon.  
  
Ron slapped his forehead.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
So far, the day had gone as it always did. Snape took 25 points from Gryffindor in Potions ("I said Wolfshorn Weasly, not Wolfsbane.") and Professor Trelawny did not hesitate to remind Harry that he was going to die by the end of the year ("My inner eye never lies Mr. Potter!")  
  
All of Gryffindor was anxious to see what the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was like.  
  
"Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts. I am your teacher, Professor O' Flaherty. Professor Giles will not be joining us until tomorrow. Before I begin, does anyone have any questions?"  
  
A single hand went into the air. To no one's surprise, it was Hermione's.  
  
"Yes.Ms. Granger."  
  
Hermione put her hand down. "I was just wondering - well, there were rumors that the new teacher was a vampire. Is this true?"  
  
Everyone was shocked that she had actually asked the question. They were all wondering the same thing, but nobody was comfortable with voicing their concerns.  
  
Leave it to Hermione.  
  
To everyone's surprise, Professor O' Flaherty laughed.  
  
"I knew that question was going to arise some time during the day. I can assure you that I am most certainly not a vampire, and that Professor Giles is also very much human."  
  
The class sighed with relief.  
  
"Vampires will be our first unit, followed by werewolves, which I have heard you all know an astounding amount about, demons, vampire slayers - "  
  
Hermione's hand shot into the air again.  
  
"Yes Ms. Granger."  
  
"Vampire slayers are a myth. Why are we going to learn about something that we'll never encounter?"  
  
Angel smiled and glanced at Dawn who was sitting in the back of the room, smirking. She had warned him that the students believed the Chosen One to be nothing more then a legend.  
  
"I can assure you Hermione that the Slayer is more real and a lot more encounterable then you think."  
  
~*~*~*  
  
"Welcome to your first Defense Against Muggle Attacks class. I'm Professor Morgan, and this is Professor Summers. I know that this class is unusually large, but Professor Dumbledore has requested that both sixth and seventh years have a double period together. And as I'm sure you've noticed, you have this class three days a week."  
  
Some of the students groaned and Professor Morgan grinned.  
  
"Alright Professor Morgan. Enough terrorizing the kids." Professor Summers said smiling.  
  
"Before we get started, there's a few things I want to go over. This is a Muggle Defense class, hence you will be learning Muggle defense techniques. It is your last class because things may get extra grueling for the older students." More groaning and smiling from Professor Morgan and Dawn.  
  
"As you've seen on your schedule, you have a twenty minute break before this class. This is because we are requesting that you change into comfortable clothing when you come to this class, not your uniform. It's not exactly easy to learn this stuff, and it will be a lot easier if you're comfortable. Wear your robes, which you can leave in the back of the room when we start. Is this alright with everybody?"  
  
Most of the room nodded or said a quick yes.  
  
"OK then, let's start with a demonstration." Professor Summers and Professor Morgan shed their robes, revealing sweats, tank tops, and sneakers.  
  
"Dawnie, hold this." Faith pulled something out of her pocket and threw it to Dawn, who abruptly shoved it into her bag. Hermione tried to get a look at it, but she didn't quite look fast enough.  
  
"You ready B?"  
  
Buffy smiled. "Bring it on."  
  
And the two started fighting. Faith threw a punch, which Buffy quickly blocked and landed a kick to her stomach. The class watched in amazement as they blocked, punched, kicked, and flipped.  
  
Buffy landed on her back on the floor, and as the class winced, Dawn smiled. She kicked her legs up, bringing Faith to the floor. Buffy quickly pulled a - 'was that a stake?' Hermione thought - out of her pocket and made it look like she was going to plunge it into Faith's heart.  
  
"I win - again." Buffy smiled and helped Faith to her feet, and was met with applause from the rest of the class.  
  
"Where did she learn that?"  
  
Dawn smiled at Ron. "A little place called the Hellmouth. I'll let you play with that thought for a while." She grinned at his confused expression, and walked up to her sister as the rest of the class filed out of the room.  
  
"The Hellmouth? What the hell is that?"  
  
Hermione shrugged, still watching the two professors intently. "Beats me."  
  
~*~*~*  
  
"Need help there B?"  
  
Buffy grimaced as the vampire she was fighting landed a punch to her jaw. "No, I'm - " She kicked the vampire's feet from under him and drove her stake home. "Fine."  
  
She walked over to Faith, completely out of breath.  
  
"What did they do, follow us here?" Faith asked angrily.  
  
"When did vampires get so hard to beat?" Buffy asked, with her hands on her thighs.  
  
"Easy - we're not in Kansas anymore Toto. These vamps are a lot different from ours."  
  
"And yet they still attack the slayers. Just our luck, huh? We patrol the forest making sure there aren't any kiddies lurking about, and we get attacked.  
  
"Just a day in the life of the Chosen Two I guess."  
  
Faith grinned. "C'mon B. We gotta get back."  
  
As Faith and Buffy walked back to the castle, Harry, Hermione, and Ron shed the invisibility cloak and watched their backs until they disappeared into Hogwarts.  
  
"Does anyone else sense something funny going on here?" Hermione said aloud.  
  
Harry shook his head. "No. But I think I'm going to pay close attention to our so-called professors from now on."  
  
A/N: End of chapter three. Please review! : ) 


	4. I Know and Happy Hunting

A/N: I have 18 reviews - I FEEL SO LOVED! : )  
  
Thanks to everyone who has been keeping up with the story. I mean that - THANK YOU. It's nice to know people actually like what I write. If you like this one, wait till the sequel (yes, I already have a sequel in mind, just you wait...he he he)  
  
OK, I have two announcements:  
  
One, at the beginning of each chapter, I'm going to put my favorite Buffy and/or Harry Potter quotes...and believe me I have A LOT of favorite Buff/Angel quotes :P If you have a fave quote you'd like to see, e-mail it to me - rememberingnyc2001@yahoo.com  
  
Two - question to all of you faithful readers (answer in your review) Are you a: Buffy/Spike, Buffy/Angel, or Buffy/other? Harry/Hermione, Ron/Hermione, or other/Hermione? Personally (as I'm sure you've noticed) I am a BIG Buffy/Angel, Harry/Hermione shipper. But for those of you who aren't, I have a Buffy/Spike, Ron/Hermione story in the works : )  
  
SOO MANY REVIEWS TO ANSWER - I LOVE IT! (you can skip this part if you want. I won't be offended)  
  
DaBear: Thank you, I try : )  
  
Riverchic1998: Yeh, I know. I had to fix it. I uploaded instead of replaced *sigh*  
  
Faith: Already covered, thanks a bunch. (For the record, I don't need the last names anymore. I got it covered thanks : ) )  
  
Jamiexh: I KNOW! I KNOW! IT'S FIXED! LoL  
  
Sparrow: I'm glad you like it. I tried to make it work - and TA DA!  
  
Fairysk8ter: Nah, don't worry about it. I fixed it up, no harm done.  
  
TigerBlak: Plot? What's a plot? I'm joking JOKING! The plot.well, it's not very evident in THIS chapter either. I'm digressing a little for a while. The plot will come within the next two chapters, I PROMISE ::crosses heart::  
  
Sibling: Yup, they think she's a myth. Wait till they get the shock of truth.  
  
Laura: AWE! THANK YOU! ::beams::  
  
Quote of the Day: Spike - A bear! You made a bear! Buffy - I didn't mean to -  
  
Spike - Undo it! Undo it! - Episode: Pangs  
  
Crap, that was long.. Umm.from now on, I may not reply to all the reviews ::grumbles something about having too much schoolwork::  
  
Chapter Four - I Know and Happy Hunting  
  
At four o'clock that morning, Buffy and Angel got up for their shift in the hallways. They started walking and ended up outside Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.  
  
"You're awfully quiet tonight." Angel said just to break the silence.  
  
"You're not so talkative yourself."  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?"  
  
"About what?"  
  
"You know what."  
  
They locked eyes. "Angel - " Buffy sighed, frustrated. "I wasn't - I wasn't where everyone thinks I was after I died. I wasn't - "  
  
"I know." Of all the answers she had imagined him giving her, that one was not one of the options.  
  
"Pardon?'  
  
"I said I know."  
  
"I heard what you said. But how - "  
  
"Had a little run in with our friend Spike a couple of weeks ago. After pummeling the hell out of each other, your names just happened to come up."  
  
"Uh oh."  
  
"Yeah. He told me that he had...feelings for you." He balled his hands into fists. "Needless to say, I wasn't thrilled. But then he told me something that I will never forget."  
  
~* Flashback *~  
  
"She still loves you, y' know that don't you?"  
  
"She does?"  
  
"Oh please, like you didn't know. She pretends that she loves these other blokes, but her heart has always belonged to you. I guess I chose the wrong slayer, aye mate?"  
  
"Yeh."  
  
"Maybe I should go after Faith."  
  
"Don't even go there."  
  
"What? I've always had a thing for the crazy, murderous fiends."  
  
"Spike." Angel said dangerously.  
  
"Sorry. All right mate. Best be off." Spike got up to leave, but he turned back around.  
  
"You know, she wasn't in hell when she dies. She was in heaven. Or at least where she thought was heaven."  
  
"Spike, not that I don't want to know, but - why are you telling me this? We're not exactly the best of friends."  
  
"I'm not telling you as a friend. I'm telling you as someone who just realized how stupid he's been all this time. I'm telling you that way if she seeks you out for comfort, which we both know she will, you'll know exactly why she's acting the way she is."  
  
Spike turned around and started walking away. "We're both love's bitches." Spike called back. "At least one of us can get what they want."  
  
~* End Flashback *~  
  
Silence ensued after Angel finished talking. Buffy wanted to say something, but had no ides what she should say. She murmured something under her breath.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
Buffy turned towards Angel. "I'm so scared. Every time I wake up and realize I'm still here and not there, I shudder. I just wish - "  
  
A sudden loud noise cut her off.  
  
"What the?"  
  
"I sense kids out of bed." Angel smirked.  
  
"My spider sense is tingling." She pointed towards the door to the bathroom. "In here."  
  
Buffy and Angel silently slipped into the bathroom and stood on opposite sides. Buffy stick out her foot and, just as she suspected, she heard a loud "Oof!"  
  
"Ron, you stupid git! You tripped again!"  
  
"I'm sorry 'Mione, but my shoe untied."  
  
"Guys." Harry tried to get their attention.  
  
"Klutz! You should have tied the tighter!"  
  
"Guys."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"Guys!"  
  
"WHAT?!" They both shouted at the same time. Harry pointed at Buffy who was standing with her arms crossed across her chest.  
  
"You three have some major explaining to do, and it'd be in your best interest to be better at lying then you are at sneaking around if you want to get away with this."  
  
They all glanced at each other and sagged with defeat.  
  
"Angel, keep an eye on the halls, will you?"  
  
"Angel?"  
  
"That's Professor Angel to you Mr. Weasly. My office. Right now. Move."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The three students sat awkwardly in Professor Summer's office. There were still signs of a new professor - half empty boxes loitering around the room, books strewn about everywhere. There was a book on her desk with the title "Propheticia" with a pentacle on the cover. Professor Summers moved it out of the way and sat down.  
  
"Explain." The one word launched a million explanations.  
  
"Well, we were - "  
  
"You see, we needed - "  
  
"There was this thing we - "  
  
"Stop, stop. You're making me crazy." Buffy threw a paperweight back and forth between her hands.  
  
"You were following me, weren't you? And don't lie - I'm the mistress of sneaking out in the middle of the night, getting caught, and getting away with it."  
  
"We were following you." They all said in unison.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well...Harry's been picking up on bits and pieces of your conversations with Professor Giles and Professor Morgan and such and some of it was really - odd."  
  
"And you were hoping that by following me you could figure out what it all meant?"  
  
Hermione nodded.  
  
Buffy smiled. This girl reminded her so much of Willow in high school. She had the desire to be bad, but the same desire to be honest when caught being bad. Buffy shook her head, still smiling.  
  
"You three are too curious for your own good. There are things that I and the rest of the other professors are going to speak of that you are going to hear and wonder 'what language are they speaking?' Because that's all it is, really, another language to learn. But some of the info you may find out you may not like. Therefore, don't bother asking me about what you heard because I won't answer any of your questions."  
  
Hermione nodded. Harry and Ron glanced at each other, disappointed.  
  
"Well, it's 5:45. Why don't you thee hang out here for the next fifteen minutes and then go back to your dorms?"  
  
"You mean, you're not going to give us detentions?" Ron looked at Harry who shrugged.  
  
To their surprise, Buffy laughed. I'll have you know that I was the queen of sneaking out of the house for one reason or another. Giving you a detention, or taking away any points would make me a hypocrite. I'm not here to be Ms. Stern Authority Figure. I'm here to be a professor and a friend."  
  
"What if I don't want a friend?" Harry asked defiantly. He wanted to see how far he could push Professor Summers before her line was crossed.  
  
Buffy smiled. "I said I was a friend. I never said I was yours."  
  
She smiled wider at the three Gryffindors' shocked faces.  
  
"Oh, I'm taking off five points by the way - "  
  
"You said no punishment!"  
  
"For getting caught Ron. You gotta learn how to sneak around and NOT get caught."  
  
"So you're telling us to sneak around?"  
  
Buffy leaned back onto the desk. "In my six years in Sunnydale, I've learned two things. One, never trust anyone but your friends, because even they aren't what they seem. And two, sneaking around not only makes you stealthier, but it helps you discover information you wouldn't know otherwise. I'll let you play around with that for a while."  
  
"You know, you're more like your sister then you think. She said the same thing to me this afternoon about a Hellmouth. What in Merlin's name is a Hellmouth?"  
  
"Everything Dawnie knows she learned from me. And in answer to your question, here's another thing I've learned. When in doubt, research. So I'm going to conveniently drop this pass to the Restricted Section of the library on my way out, and when I see that it's missing, I'm going to assume that I either dropped it or gave it to a student, both of which will be correct."  
  
Buffy opened the door and sure enough, she dropped the pass on the floor.  
  
"Do me a favor though. Don't come seek me out if you don't like everything you find. And I mean that." She smiled.  
  
"Happy hunting."  
  
A/N: Done! REVIEW PLEASE : ) 


	5. Muggles, Mudbloods, and Malfoys

A/N: IT'S FINALLY UP! YAY! LoL. I FINALLY HAVE THE INTERNET BACK! ::hugs computer while mom rolls eyes::  
  
Oh look, it's the PLOT! Finally.I've been digressing enough. Time to get down to business. FUN FUN FUN!  
  
To my reviewers:  
  
Ginger: The next chapter WAS out yesterday.::giggles::  
  
Fairys8ter: AAAWWWWEEE!! ::blushes::  
  
TigerBlak: Thanks for the applause. ::bows::  
  
Rockson: I am actually suffering from a bout of writer's block, which sucks. Well, at least I have chapter six written already I suppose...  
  
Quote of the Day: Buffy - Whenever Giles asks me something, he always says please. And then I get a cookie! - not sure which ep - the first one with Wesley in it  
  
PLOT TIME!!! LoL  
  
Chapter Five - Muggles, Mudbloods, and Malfoys  
  
Ron, Harry, and Hermione stared blankly at the closed door. When they were sure Professor Summers was already down the hall, Ron dove for the pass on the floor.  
  
"She wasn't kidding! Look! Signed and everything!" He showed the pass to Harry.  
  
"A bit odd isn't it? She literally gave us permission to sneak around behind her back."  
  
"Why are you complaining, 'Mione? We HAVE HER PERMISSION to snoop around. What's so bad about that?"  
  
Hermione glared. "I never said it was bad. I just said it was odd."  
  
Harry grinned. "Fancy seeing if it works?" They grinned and practically ran towards the library -  
  
Right into Professor Snape.  
  
"Now, where would three Gryffindors like yourselves be headed so quickly this early in the morning? And not from your Common Room." Snape smiled maliciously.  
  
"They're with me Professor.'  
  
Snape scowled. "And why, praytell, were they with you Professor Morgan?"  
  
"They needed information for their Defense Against the Dark Arts homework, which I was more then happy to help them with. They were on their way to the library to answer any questions I couldn't. As a matter of fact, I'm headed there myself right now."  
  
She put her hands on both Ron and Harry's shoulders and ushered them along.  
  
"Thanks for your time." She smiled and rolled her eyes as they turned the corner.  
  
When they neared the library, Ron let out his breath. "Professor Morgan, that was bloody brilliant thinking!"  
  
Faith grinned. "You're welcome. Professor Summers informed me of her little chat with you."  
  
Ron's face fell.  
  
"Don't look so down. I agree with her - they're with me Madam Pince." They were about to enter the Restricted Section and Madam Pince had cut them off. She nodded curtly and let them through.  
  
"Did you really have to come to the library?" Harry asked suspiciously.  
  
Faith sighed. "Alas, yes. Professor Giles asked me to get a book for him. He has the first volume he just needs the second and - Ah, here it is." She pulled the book off the shelf. It was an exact duplicate of the one they had seen on Professor Summer's desk.  
  
"Well kiddies, my work here is done. Enjoy your research. Better you then me. Hey Dawnie."  
  
Dawn's face was anxious. "Dawnie, what's wrong?"  
  
She eyed the book in Faith's hand. "Professor Giles needs to see you."  
  
"Dawn is everything ok?" Harry asked, concerned.  
  
"Everything's fine."  
  
"You don't sound too convincing." Hermione elbowed him in the ribs and mouthed 'stop'.  
  
"What is this about?" Faith asked, a bit worried.  
  
Dawn pulled something out of her pocket and threw it to her. "A key? What - " the idea finally registered. "Shit. I'll see you three in class later - Dawn!" Faith caught up to Dawn and sped out of the library.  
  
"A key? What key? A key to what?"  
  
"Like I know Ron." Hermione went straight to the section where Faith had been and pulled out the same book she had. "Just our luck - Volume Three. Let's go."  
  
"Go where?" Harry asked confused.  
  
Hermione pointed to a table. "There. We're going to fond out what these new professors are hiding if it's the last thing I do."  
  
Harry and Ron eyed each other nervously.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Giles, what is this about? Dawn said something to me about the key?"  
  
Giles nodded grimly. "The book that I've been researching mentions a key of glory. I don't know if it speaks of past or present, but either way, I want you to keep a close eye on Dawn for now. The rest haven't been informed. Dawn?" Dawn looked up. "I want you to stay in Faith's classes today that way she can keep a close eye on you."  
  
For once, Dawn didn't argue.  
  
"Do me a favor though? For her sake as much as yours - "  
  
"Don't tell Buffy. I know."  
  
Giles smiled as best he could. "Try not to looks so grim. Don't want to give anyone any ideas. Faith, I believe you have a class with the first years now." Faith nodded.  
  
"We have a meeting with Professor Dumbledore in Buffy's office tonight at eight. Oh, and Dawn?"  
  
Dawn turned around. "Don't worry so much."  
  
Dawn smiled slightly and walked off with Faith to class.  
  
"So you haven't told her yet?" Angel stepped out of the shadows.  
  
"No. Dumbledore knows because he was helping me translate it. I'm worried Angel. This prophecy is - well, I'm not quite sure what it is exactly but it's definitely not good. I need Dumbledore to clarify some of it for me. The rest is pretty clear."  
  
"What is?"  
  
Giles shook his head. "Buffy is going to aid Harry in defeating Lord Voldemort."  
  
Angel ran a hand through his hair. He didn't know what to say. One word pretty much summed it up.  
  
"Shit."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Can someone please tell me how to kill a vampire?" About a dozen hands shot into the air and Giles smiled. "Mr. Longbottom."  
  
"Decapitate it?"  
  
"Yes, that is correct. Anyone else? Mr. Weasly?"  
  
"Stake it through the heart. What happens to a vampire after you kill it?"  
  
"A vampire will turn to dust."  
  
"Unless you're the Master, in which case you have the slayer sledgehammer his bones to death." Buffy smiled. "Professor O' Flaherty," Buffy smirked. It was odd calling Angel by a last name he hadn't used in over two hundred years. And also somewhat comical. "May I speak with you for a moment?"  
  
"Of course Professor Summers." Buffy almost laughed out loud. Giles rolled his eyes.  
  
They stepped into the hall and Buffy slapped Angel's arm. "Don't do that!" She smiled. Angel loved it when she smiled.  
  
"Hurry up. I have a class to teach."  
  
Buffy mock scowled. "Dumbledore wants us in his office, not mine. Said it was bigger and would be more comfortable with all of us." Angel just nodded and stared at her.  
  
"What?" Angel pulled her to him and kissed her. Buffy sighed. This was what she had been waiting for. He pulled away and she smiled. "Go teach your class Deadboy."  
  
Angel went to hit her and she dodged and walked away giggling.  
  
Angel smiled and walked into the class smiling. All of his students were just looking at him and Giles had a deer in the headlights look on his face. Angel shook his head grinning.  
  
"Let's continue, shall we?"  
  
"Professor, I do believe class is over." Giles said smirking.  
  
"Oh." Angel thought for a second. "Alright. Five points to Gryffindor for every correct answer. Remember your homework is due in a week. Class dismissed."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Today, we're going to start simple warm-up techniques, and maybe begin punching. I'm going to put you in pairs of two. Uh, Dawn?"  
  
Dawn looked up at Faith. "We need another student. You mind?"  
  
Dawn grinned. Faith knew very well that Buffy had started to teach Dawn how to fight.  
  
"No problem."  
  
"Alright. The pairings are as follows - Weasly, Summers." Dawn looked alarmingly at Buffy who suppressed a laugh. Oh, that face was priceless. 'Where's a camera when you need one?' Buffy shrugged and Dawn glared.  
  
"Granger, Parkinson." Hermione groaned and shook her head.  
  
"Potter, Malfoy." The two looked at each other with loathing.  
  
The professors finished pairing off the rest of the class ("C'mon Neville, my sister's not THAT bad." "Oh, shut up Ron.") and began instructions. After showing them various moves, the two professors stepped aside and allowed the partners to work with each other.  
  
Ron threw a punch at Dawn, who blocked for dear life. "Ron watch that thing." She laughed. "Watch." Dawn threw a punch that purposely barely missed his shoulder. "You try." He tried again. "Ow!" Dawn groaned. "OK, maybe not."  
  
"I'm sorry!"  
  
"No, it's fine. I've had worse wounds then this, believe me. Here." Dawn moved behind Ron and positioned his arm so that he didn't drop his shoulder. She kept her hand on his shoulder while he tried again.  
  
"Awe, does the Weasel need help from the Mudblood?" Malfoy laughed.  
  
Ron was about to lunge, but Dawn's hand held him back. "Let me." She hissed.  
  
"I'll knock that smiled right off your face Malfoy."  
  
"Oh, now the Muggle has Potty sticking up for her too? This is rich."  
  
Dawn tapped his shoulder and he spun around - just to be met with a severe punch to the jaw.  
  
"Look Draco, you may think you're hot shit, but news flash, you don't scare me. I've met demons a hell of a lot more scary then you, so don't think you're bullying me with this holier-then-thou bullshit." By now, a large crowd had begun to form around them.  
  
"Is that right Summers?"  
  
"Did I stutter?"  
  
Malfoy grinned and launched a punch for Dawn's shoulder. She had anticipated it and, seeing it coming, blocked it, throwing Malfoy completely off balance and sprawling to the floor.  
  
The whole of Gryffindor laughed hysterically when a shrill voice filled the room.  
  
"DAWN MARIE SUMMERS!" Dawn gulped.  
  
Malfoy took her distraction as his chance for revenge. He grabbed Dawn's ankles and brought her tumbling down on her back. Her screech pushed Harry into action.  
  
As Malfoy got up, Harry rounded on him. "Didn't you learn anything from your time as a bouncing ferret?"  
  
Malfoy hit Harry in the face and Harry responded by kneeing him in the stomach. Before either one could make another move, Professor Summers and Professor Morgan were between them. Hermione and Ron were helping Dawn to her feet.  
  
"You three," Professor Summers said gesturing to Malfoy, Harry, and Ron. "In the hall." She ushered them out. "Mr. Malfoy, that corner. Mr. Potter, that corner. Dawn, over there. Now. The rest of you practice your warm ups with Professor Morgan."  
  
Dawn couldn't remember the last time she had seen Buffy so angry, although any type of emotion was better then the emotionless façade she had been putting up lately. Did Dawn regret what she did? Nope, not one bit.  
  
Buffy walked back out into the hall. She was livid. Worse yet, she was unbelievably pissed off.  
  
Buffy plus pissed off meant trouble. And they were in some major trouble.  
  
Malfoy was standing in his corner with his arms around his stomach. Harry had the beginnings of a black eye and Dawn was rubbing her left shoulder.  
  
When Professor Summers finally spoke, it was with an authority she had never expressed before.  
  
"I want to know who started this, and so help me God if I find out that you're lying."  
  
Malfoy gulped. "I - I did Professor. I called Dawn a Mudblood."  
  
"Mhm. And so you took it upon yourself Dawn to punch Mr. Malfoy in the jaw?"  
  
"Yes." Dawn said quickly.  
  
"And then you attacked Ms. Summers with her back turned, which riled Mr. Potter up, and resulted in the three injured students standing out here with me?" They all nodded.  
  
"Fine. Draco, fifty points from Slytherin for starting a fight that could have been avoided and attacking your opponent with her back turned. Harry, fifty points from Gryffindor for attacking Draco when you didn't need to get involved. Dawn, since you're not in a house per say, I'm giving you a detention."  
  
Dawn glared but didn't say anything to rebut.  
  
"Now the three of you go see Madame Pomfrey and get yourself checked out. And try not to kill each other on the way there." Professor Summers walked back into the classroom, leaving the three grumbling students to make their way to the infirmary.  
  
They didn't say a word because one word was all that was needed to light all three of their short fuses.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I still can't believe you punched Malfoy. I don't think I'll ever forget the look on his face when his jaw met your fist." Ron sighed with delight.  
  
Dawn blushed slightly. "That'll teach him to call me a Mudblood, asshole that he is. I could have strangled him."  
  
"I don't think I ever expected to see your sister THAT angry. As soon as we heard her scream your name, we thought it was over." Harry said, grimacing with the memory.  
  
Dawn laughed. "Yup, my sister has a temper alright. Well, I escaped the fire-that-is-Buffy with nothing more then a detention. I'm feeling pretty good right about now."  
  
"I haven't seen Malfoy THAT upset since Hermione slapped him back in third year."  
  
"You just won't let me live that down will you Harry?"  
  
"Live it down? Yeah right."  
  
Dawn laughed and glanced at her watch. "Shit! It's eight o'clock already? I have to see Dumbledore."  
  
"What for?" Hermione asked as Dawn stood.  
  
Dawn shrugged. "The key." She left with those words. Buffy had told her all about her little chat with them in her office. Oh, Dawn was going to have FUN playing with their minds.  
  
"The key. What is it with this key?"  
  
"Once again Ron, I have no idea. Looks like we're going to the library. Again."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Did you find anything yet?"  
  
"No Hermione, for the last time, I didn't find anything yet."  
  
"Sorry Ron."  
  
"Wait - I found it!" Harry smiled proudly.  
  
"The key is an immortal energy force. It has no real form or identity. The key can open the door to other dimensions. It is highly powerful and, when fallen into the wrong hands, can bring about the next apocalypse. Well that's not good."  
  
"Look at this. The key needs protection from someone mightier then normal mortals, but also unknowing of what it is they are protecting. The key shall be sent to the slayer in the form of a sister. Memories of her shall be implemented into her mind and the minds of her family and friends. No one will know the truth. That doesn't sound too happy." Ron added.  
  
"But the slayer is a myth for Merlin's sake!" Hermione stated somewhat angrily.  
  
"Obviously less of a myth then we've been made to believe. Maybe that's part of this whole key business - thinking the slayer is a myth. But what does all of this have to do with Dawn?"  
  
Hermione sighed. "I wish I knew Ron. I wish I knew."  
  
A/N: New question - was Kendra's last name ever mentioned? I need it for later and if nobody knows, I'm going to make it up.  
  
Ten galleons to the person who knows where the "Did I stutter?" quote of Dawn's is from. Hint: It's a movie from the mid-eighties. 


	6. Propheticia

A/N: This is a MAJOR chapter. PLOT everywhere.  
  
I just have one small note: The scene where Buffy and Xander fight is my take on how things would have happened had Buffy not told everyone during the musical that she was in heaven. Once again, this is just my imagination running VERY wild. If you don't like it - tough! But be honest about it in your review.  
  
Quote of the day: "Dawn's in trouble. Must be Tuesday." - Buffy - ep: Once More With Feeling  
  
Chapter Six - Propheticia  
  
By nine o'clock, Dumbledore's office was filled to the brim with people. Giles and Tara were speaking quietly by the door. Angel and Buffy were sitting on the floor against the wall cuddling. Xander, Anya, and Willow were having a friendly argument about what was scarier - man-eating hyenas or fluffy bunnies, and, to everyone's surprise, Faith was having an intent conversation with Professor McGonagall. Dawn was standing alone by the door biting her nails.  
  
"Good evening." Dumbledore said stepping into the room. Everyone fell silent as he sat down at his desk.  
  
"I assume you are all wondering why we have called you here." He pulled a book off the bookshelf. It was a rather large, leather-bound book with a silver pentacle on the cover and the word Propheticia written in a faded gold.  
  
"Professor Giles and I have been working on translating this for some time now." He opened the book to a marked page in the center.  
  
"This is from an old scroll, written hundreds of years ago. The reason I have called you here tonight is that this certain scroll holds a prophecy, which worries me beyond all else. I am sure you will realize what some of it means. The rest of the blanks Professor McGonagall, Professor Giles, and I will fill in, as I hope you will for us. Professor, if you would."  
  
Giles took the book. "Yes, of course." He fixed his glasses on the edge of his nose and began reading.  
  
"There will be an apocalypse,  
  
Brought by he who is a puzzle  
  
With powers sent to him  
  
By the key of glory  
  
It is only he  
  
Born unto the flower and the stag  
  
Who will stop his plight  
  
Aided by the daughter of Helen  
  
The sixth son of seven  
  
The chosen one of heaven  
  
And the bringer of hell with a soul"  
  
Dawn looked at the book as if it were about to explode. "Oh god..."  
  
"OK, am I the only person in this room going 'huh'?" Faith asked, looking at Dawn questioningly.  
  
"No. Even I don't understand it all. Some yes, but the rest is just a blur." Giles took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.  
  
Buffy picked up the book cautiously. "OK, let's just fill in the blanks. 'There will be an apocalypse.' Is that supposed to be threatening because it's not even remotely scary."  
  
"Enough Buffy. Stick to scroll." Giles said sternly.  
  
"Oh, right. 'Brought by her who is a puzzle.' What, is the guy confusing?"  
  
"No." Dumbledore sighed grimly. "What few people know is that Voldemort's actual name is Tom Marvolo Riddle. It's an anagram, you see. Switch the letters around and you get 'I am Lord Voldemort.'" Professor McGonagall shivered.  
  
"Alright then. We have that covered. Next is 'with power sent to him by the key...of...glory." Buffy's voice faltered as she re-read those last three words. She shot Dawn a glance. Her worry was mirrored on her face.  
  
"Oh my god." Buffy shook her head.  
  
"No, no, no. I am NOT doing this again. No way, no how."  
  
"Dawnie - "  
  
"No Buffy!" Dawn moved away from the wall. " I will not let you do this again! Do you hear me?"  
  
"ENOUGH!" Dawn jumped at Giles' sudden outburst. Giles was not known for his anger, but everyone knew better then to get him upset. And right now, he seemed VERY upset. "We will cross that bridge when we come to it. Buffy, CONTINUE."  
  
"Right." She glanced around the room, somewhat shaken. "Next is - 'It is only he born unto the flower and the stag who will stop his plight.' OK, lost yet again."  
  
"Good lord."  
  
"Oh that's not good."  
  
Giles looked at Buffy questioningly. "What on earth do you mean?"  
  
"Whenever you begin a sentence with 'good lord', it always means something bad."  
  
"The scroll means Harry, Buffy. Harry's mother's name was Lily. His father was an animagus, which means he could change into an animal."  
  
"No no! Let me guess - " Faith said enthusiastically. "Stag."  
  
Giles nodded sighing.  
  
"Perfect. Just great....'Aided by the daughter of Helen and the sixth son of seven.' I'm drawing a blank."  
  
"Hermione and Ron. The daughter of Helen and Menelaos in Greek literature was Hermione and Ron is the sixth son of seven siblings."  
  
"Excellent deduction, Willow." Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye. Willow blushed slightly.  
  
"'The chosen one of heaven.' Well B., that one's pretty obvious. Looks like we have another apocalypse to stop. Just don't put me in a coma this time, alright?"  
  
Buffy just stared, somewhat scared and very shocked, at the book and then at Angel.  
  
"No Faith. You don't. Its just Buffy. Not both of you. Just her."  
  
"But Angel, the book says - "  
  
"The chosen ONE of heaven."  
  
"But that can't be Buffy. She's not - " Buffy just looked at her with tears in her eyes.  
  
"Oh my god."  
  
"But Buffy," Willow stammered, "That - that can't be right, you said you were - "  
  
"I lied." Buffy swiped at her eyes. Willow and Xander just stared while Angel came and put his arms around Buffy's shoulders.  
  
"What about the last line?" Professor McGonagall asked quietly. "The bringer of hell with a soul. Bit of an oxymoron, isn't it?"  
  
Buffy glanced at Angel who nodded minutely.  
  
"It means Angel. In a nutshell, Angel was a vampire with a soul, and at one point, he lost his soul and he tried to open a gateway to hell and Buffy had to stop him and - "  
  
"Ahn," Xander put his palm over her mouth. "Not helping." Anya pouted.  
  
"I think that is enough for tonight. I believe you all have much to discuss. Minerva, come. I must speak with you about the Yule Ball."  
  
Professor McGonagall rose with Professor Dumbledore.  
  
"Sleep well. Goodnight." He shut the door behind them.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The room was silent for a good twenty minutes after the two professors left. Angel put his arms around Buffy's waist and she grabbed his hands and leaned into his chest. She was fighting back tears and the sob that threatened to escape her throat.  
  
At length, Xander spoke. "You lied to us Buffy."  
  
Buffy said nothing.  
  
"You told us you were in hell. Here we are, glad that we pulled you out of some hell dimension, when in actuality, we yanked you out of paradise. But what bothers me more is that you lied."  
  
"Xander - "  
  
"No Anya. It has to be said. Maybe you lied because you didn't want to be brought back."  
  
Buffy looked tearfully into Xander's eyes and glared maliciously. Xander didn't back down.  
  
"If you think that I am going to and here and take this from you Alexander Harris, then you have another thing coming."  
  
Buffy stormed out with Xander following close behind.  
  
"Don't you walk away from me Buffy Summers!"  
  
Buffy spun on her heels. "You think it's that simple? You think that it's all just hugs and kisses and 'I'm sorry I lied.' Well, news flash, you're wrong. You want the truth? No, I didn't want to come back. I was in paradise, fucking utopia Xander, and I was yanked out of there! Do you know what it's like to be in perfect serenity one minute and to wake up in a coffin the next? It's horrifying. It's worse then any demon or hell beast you could ever imagine. You want the truth? Yes, I was happy. But all I did the whole time was wish that you were there with me. Because it wasn't perfect without you." Buffy's voice broke after the last statement. Angel went to put his arms around her, but she just pulled away. "Don't. Please, just - don't touch me." She turned around and bolted down the hall.  
  
Everyone stood frozen, stunned at Buffy's confession. The truth of her words began to sink in. Dawn sobbed silently in the corner and walked off back to the Gryffindor Common Room.  
  
"Are you alright dear?" The portrait lady asked.  
  
"Collegious."  
  
"Alright then." The portrait swung open and Dawn stepped inside. She collapsed onto the floor in the corner and finally let all that she was feeling out of her system. She broke down and cried.  
  
Ron, Harry, and Hermione stepped in minutes later.  
  
"Umm, Ron?" Ginny looked somewhat confused.  
  
"Yeh. What's the matter Gin?"  
  
Ginny bit her lower lip. "It's Dawn. She walked in a few minutes ago and just started crying. I tried to find her sister, but the only person I came across was Professor O' Flaherty, who said he didn't know where she was, and was actually looking for her as well. What's going on here, Ron?"  
  
Ron sighed. "I wish I knew."  
  
Ron carefully walked up to Dawn and put his hand on her shoulder. He kneeled down in front of her.  
  
"Dawn?"  
  
Dawn looked up at him with a tear-stained face. He brushed a piece of hair out of her eyes and cupped her chin in his hands. "What's wrong?"  
  
Dawn sagged and whispered something inaudibly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I can't tell you."  
  
Ron nodded. "Do you want me to sit with you for a while?"  
  
"No questions asked?"  
  
Ron smiled. "No questions asked." Dawn smiled gratefully. Ron pulled her into his arms. They sat together in an armchair, Dawn leaning back against his chest. She closed her eyes and Ron stroked her hair, and, before either if them knew it, she was asleep.  
  
"Ron, what on earth - "  
  
"Shh!" He cut Hermione off and gestured to Dawn.  
  
"Is she alright?"  
  
Ron shook his head. "No, and she wouldn't tell me why. I promised her I wouldn't ask questions and...well, here we are. She fell asleep almost immediately."  
  
Hermione set her face with resolve. "We're going to find out what this whole key thing is and why it bothers her so much. We're GOING to help her." She glanced at Dawn. "I hope."  
  
Little did Hermione know that her "key" was the same person fast asleep in Ron's arms.  
  
A/N: WHEW! Finally! Sorry about the delay between updates folks - blame it on my teachers and their policy of giving loads of homework every night. GRR AARGH! 


	7. Who Are You?

A/N: I know these updates seem to take forever to go up most of the time, but I can't help it! I PROMISE, although I am not updating that fast, I am up to chapter eleven in my trusty notebook, and I'm currently outlining a whole load of stuff for future chapters. I know how I want this to end, and yes there will be a sequel and possibly a prequel if things work out the way I hope they will. The sequel is going to take place two years from the gang's graduation from Hogwarts, and the prequel will take place in the Marauder's time. And yes, they will both be crossovers w/ Buffy :)  
  
To my reviewers:  
  
TrinityLast: OF COURSE I'M GOING TO KEEP GOING! What kind of Buffy/Harry fan do you take me for? :)  
  
Frizzy: Really? You think so? I'm glad. I was a little worried I was getting to angsty - I'm big on he angst in my stories. I promise, things do get less angsty later and more.........never mind. I'm not going to spoil it for you :P  
  
Riverchic1998: Horror is what I do best ::grins evilly while adjusting her halo to sit on top of her horns::  
  
Fastpilot: YOU GOT IT! YAY! And I got the whole "Yes Hermione, there is a slayer" thing. LoL.  
  
Fairys8ter: Thank you very much : )  
  
I COMPLETELY forgot to mention this before! A HUGE thank you to my VERY close friend, Lainamalthea, who helped me write the prophecy. What took me an hour to try and figure out took her all of five minutes. (I was having writer's block that day! Like I am NOW! GRR ARGH!) So, BIG thank you to her, and also to my English teacher for his bits of useless trivia while going over "The Iliad" in class - I wouldn't have found Hermione without you :)  
  
Alright, enough of this crap. Let's get on with the show!  
  
Quote of the Day: That's me favorite shirt - That's me only shirt!" -Kendra- ep: What's My Line, Part Two  
  
Chapter Seven - Who Are You?  
  
Buffy was sitting on the grass by the lake deep in thought.  
  
'How cold I say that? God, what did I do?' She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her self.  
  
A loud barking yanked her from her thoughts.  
  
"Fang! Get back here!" Fang ran over and licked Buffy's face. She cracked a smile. "Hey Fang." Fang nudged her side with his nose and lay down, wagging his tail.  
  
"Fang! What are you - Professor Summers? What're you doin' out here?"  
  
"Just thinking. I needed some time alone to think."  
  
"Do ya want company?"  
  
Buffy tried to smile, but her lips just wouldn't cooperate. "Thanks, but I really need to get my head together. Things are very confusing right now."  
  
Hagrid nodded. "I know the feeling. All right. Come on Fang."  
  
Fang stayed put.  
  
"Fang, come ON." Hagrid went to grab for Fang's collar and he growled.  
  
"Uh...I think he wants to stay."  
  
Buffy finally smiled. "Fang." Fang perked up and then sagged. She could have sworn he sighed. He got up and trotted after Hagrid.  
  
"G'night Professor - "  
  
"Its Buffy."  
  
Hagrid smiled. "G'night Buffy."  
  
"'Night Hagrid."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Buffy awakened to soft barking.  
  
"Mm." She sat up and rubbed her eyes. The barking didn't cease.  
  
"Fang?" She got up and followed the sound.  
  
"Fa-ang." The Forbidden Forest, she assumed, was supposed to be frightening. But to Buffy -  
  
Big, fluffy bunny just about summed it up.  
  
"There you- "  
  
The dog winked at her and suddenly, there wasn't a dog at all.  
  
There was a person.  
  
Buffy shifted into a fighting stance.  
  
"Ah yes, Ms. Summers. I've heard an awful lot about you."  
  
"Have you now? I'm assuming then that you know that I'm the slayer and that you're in for a major amount of ass whipping if you don't tell me who you are and what's going on."  
  
Sirius chuckled. "He said you were a fiery one."  
  
"Who said?"  
  
"Let me introduce myself. My name is Sirius."  
  
"Black. You're the one who - "  
  
"Made Angel human? Nah, I'm just the guy who showed him who could help him. Me? I don't have that kind of power."  
  
"Who does?" "I'm sorry, but I can't reveal that." Buffy shifted into a more comfortable standing position. "But I can tell you that my godson has spoken an awful lot about you. Said you gave him some advice about sneaking around without getting caught."  
  
Buffy smiled. "He already knew perfectly well how to snoop around. I just gave him the permission to and some friendly tips."  
  
Sirius smiled. "His father would be proud. Well, thanks for keeping an eye on him for me slayer." He turned to go.  
  
"Wait!"  
  
He was already gone.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"You're all alike, you know? The heroes."  
  
"What? I don't understand."  
  
Tara sighed. "You think you now who you are, what's to come. But you've only just begun."  
  
As the last word was said, Tara suddenly changed into Kendra.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
Kendra smiled. "A friend."  
  
"What if I don't want a friend?"  
  
"I never said I was yours."  
  
"What does all of this mean?"  
  
Kendra said nothing for a long stretch of time. At length, she spoke. "It's everywhere you know. Hiding in the shadows, waiting to pounce. It always comes, unexpected. She's no exception."  
  
"She? She who?"  
  
"You think you know, who you are, what's to come," Kendra was fading.  
  
"Wait."  
  
"But you've only just begun."  
  
"Wait!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Harry awoke with a stabbing pain in his forehead. He hadn't realized he woke up with a small scream.  
  
"Harry!"  
  
Ron was shaking him. Harry groaned. The pain had subsided to nothing more then an annoying pang.  
  
"Harry, what happened? You were tossing and turning and then all of a sudden, you yelled 'wait' and then - you woke up."  
  
Harry tried to remember, but a lot of it had faded. Nothing but a name remained.  
  
"Kendra."  
  
"Who?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "I don't know. I was in this place. It seemed like pure evil, but then, Professor McClay was there and then she turned into another person - Kendra. How do I know that?"  
  
"Harry, you don't look so good."  
  
Harry glanced at the clock. It read 'You really should be getting up now." His watch told him it was 7:30. "C'mon. Get dressed."  
  
Ron groaned. "Why?"  
  
Harry was already changing his shirt. "Because we're going to pay a little visit to Professor McClay."  
  
Ron shook his head, but continued to change anyway.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
After waiting twenty minute for Ron to finally finish changing and dragging Hermione from the Common Room ("I have homework!"), the three of them were on their way.  
  
"So, you think this has something to do with this whole key thing?" Harry had filled Hermione in on his dream on their way to Professor McClay's office.  
  
"Definitely."  
  
Ron knocked, and there was an answer from within. "Come on in, the door's open."  
  
Professor McClay was seated at her desk and Professor Rosenburg was shuffling about trying to straighten up.  
  
"Will, you really need to relax."  
  
Willow just gave her a look.  
  
"She'll turn up, I promise."  
  
"Who will?"  
  
The professors jumped. "Sorry Harry, didn't see you there. Professor Summers. She sort of...got lost last night."  
  
"And she WILL turn up. C'mon Willow, you know she will." Willow just grumbled and continued tidying up.  
  
Tara sighed. "So, what's up Harry?"  
  
"Huh? Oh right. Umm, well, it's sort if hard to explain, really, it's - "  
  
"Oh REALLY Harry. Don't be such a big baby." Hermione said rolling her eyes. "Harry had a dream last night with you in it, Professor McClay. He said you told him something odd and then you turned into - Harry, who was it?"  
  
"Kendra?"  
  
Willow dropped the books she was holding with wide eyes. "I'm sorry?"  
  
"Kendra. Does that mean anything to you?"  
  
Willow opened and closed her mouth a few times before clearing her throat. "Wha- what did she say to you."  
  
"I'm not too sure. It's all a blur. She said something like 'It's hiding in the shadows and it always comes unexpected. She's no exception.' I was hoping you could tell me what exactly was hiding and who exactly 'she' is?"  
  
"The prophecy." Willow grabbed her things. "I have to go speak with Giles." This was addressed to Tara.  
  
"Willow, who's Kendra? Did you know her?"  
  
Willow sighed. "I did."  
  
"Wha-what do you mean d-did?" Hermione dreaded the answer.  
  
"She died Hermione. She was killed over three years ago." Willow mouthed something to Tara - 'slayer.'  
  
Tara's eyes went wide. "You mean - "  
  
"The first time. That's why - "  
  
"Faith." Harry was amazed that they could finish each other's sentences so easily when he was so utterly baffled.  
  
"Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" Harry asked angrily.  
  
Willow bit her lip. "I'm sorry Harry, but I'm not the one to tell you."  
  
"Then who is?" He asked, exasperated.  
  
"One of the new professors." Willow grabbed Tara's arm and pulled her out of their office.  
  
Harry called after them, "Oh yeah, THAT LIMITS IT DOWN!" He let out a frustrated groan.  
  
"Am I the only one sensing something funny going on?" Ron said, glancing worriedly at Harry.  
  
Suddenly, Hermione shot up. "Faith - Professor Morgan!"  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
Hermione sighed. "Really, don't you two pay attention? Faith IS Professor Morgan. And Willow mouthed 'slayer.'" She paused. "You don't think?"  
  
"I do think." Ron said. "I think it would damn near explain a lot. Let's go find her."  
  
"Not now Ron, we can't - Potions."  
  
Ron and Harry groaned loudly.  
  
A/N: This chapter was supposed to be longer, but when I realized how long I had actually made it, I did my best to cut it in two. This is part one. Part two (chapter eight) will, with the grace of any deity who will listen, be up tomorrow.  
  
Don't forget to REVIEW! They fuel me to get these updates up!  
  
~* Luv, Jacy * ~ 


	8. Call it a Hunch

A/N: Welcome my friends to the show that doesn't end...any time soon : )  
  
I can't believe you're all still here with me! THANK YOU!!  
  
I have one announcement. I have created a website where, for the sake of your sanity, I am going to be posting outlines for upcoming chapters, and the occasional (or maybe not-so-occasional : )) excerpt from the next chapter. It's for everyone who CRAVES their HHNF fix. The website is http://www.xanga.com/jacy I want all of you to go there and tell me what you think. OK? I will be posting daily.or at least I'll try VERY VERY hard to.  
  
To the reviewers:  
  
Fastpilot: Yeh, 'Mione trips on her jaw alright...  
  
TrinityLast: You know, that wasn't ACTUALLY the original line. I had Willow give Harry a book there originally, but when I tried to put it in later - well, it just didn't work. That was just a spur of the moment, hope it sounds okay kind of thing.  
  
Fairysk8ter: Awe, thank you ::grins::  
  
Frizzy: I can't write any faster! SCHOOL! ARGH! And, I promise, this WILL NOT get soap opera angsty. I HATE soap operas.  
  
Riverchic1998: You thought that dram was good, wait till' I get to chapter eleven...heh heh...  
  
Sailor C: Thanks - you love me1 You really love me! LoL  
  
S.M. - Then I guess you're gonna keep on readin'then : )  
  
TigerBlak: Withdraw no longer - here'c chapter eight!  
  
Quote of the Day - "I came here thinking it was to kill me and you go all Dumbledore on me." (talk about the irony. LoL) - Willow, ep- 1st ep this season  
  
Chapter Eight - Call it a Hunch  
  
"Sirius Black? MY Sirius Black?"  
  
"One in the same. Called Angel Angelus. That was freaky." Buffy shivered, and Faith just looked at her. "What?"  
  
"You disappeared B."  
  
Buffy shifted uncomfortably. "I don't want to talk about this right now."  
  
"Well you're going to have to eventually. You ran off."  
  
"Yes, I did. For once, the slayer wanted to run."  
  
"And do you feel any better?"  
  
"Honestly - no."  
  
Faith put her hand on Buffy's arm. "Look B, I know you're upset and all, but - "  
  
"Class is here." Buffy hopped off the chair she was sitting on and went to greet the class.  
  
"Right." Faith sighed, annoyed, and followed.  
  
"Settle down guys." The room quieted. "Considering the disaster that was yesterday, we're going to do things a little different today." Buffy perched herself on a desk and crossed her legs. "Professor Morgan and Dawn are going to do a little demonstration of what to do and what not to do during a fight. I expect you all to pay attention, as this will appear on your final exam. Is there a problem Ms. Weasly?"  
  
Ginny shook her head and glared at Malfoy. Buffy smirked.  
  
"Lesson one - never attack your opponent with their back turned." Malfoy just glared.  
  
"Lesson two - never turn your back on your opponent unless you know for a fact that he is very unconscious or very dead. Otherwise, you could get a knife in you."  
  
"Not even remotely pleasant."  
  
"Lesson three," Buffy said, ignoring Faith's comment, "Watch."  
  
Dawn and Faith stepped up to each other. Dawn sent Faith to the floor. Faith kicked Dawn's legs out from under her. When she was down, Faith flipped back up and put her foot in her stomach. All this happened in less then ten seconds.  
  
"Never kick your opponent to the floor unless you have ulterior motives. Because then, that can happen."  
  
"Faith, you're cutting off my air supply."  
  
"What? Oh! Sorry Dawnie."  
  
Poor Dawn spent the rest of the period getting thrown around by Faith. By the end of it all, she was sitting on the floor against the wall rubbing her shoulders.  
  
"Ouch. That looked like it hurt." Ron said stepping up to Dawn. Dawn looked up and glared at Buffy. "Yeah, it did. All of it." Dawn was about to walk out and Buffy spun her around.  
  
"Don't you DARE. Don't you even TRY to pin all of this on me."  
  
"You just ran away Buffy!"  
  
"For once, I wanted to run away damnit!"  
  
"Umm...Professor Summers?"  
  
"What is it Ron?"  
  
"Umm...I have a question. For Harry actually -"  
  
"WHAT IS IT?" Dawn and Buffy asked together.  
  
Ron swallowed. "Do you know anything about a slayer named Kendra?"  
  
Buffy swayed where she stood. She blinked twice and asked, "What do you need to know about Kendra?"  
  
"Harry dreamt about her. Professor Rosenburg said to go to any of the new professors for help, so I wanted to ask you."  
  
Buffy shook her head, panicked. "I just remembered I have to go talk to Professor Giles. I'll see you later Ron."  
  
"But - "  
  
"Bye!" She grabbed Dawn's arm and jetted from the room.  
  
"Will any of you EVER just give us a straight answer?" Ron called after her, annoyed.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"You think you know who you are, what's to come. But you've only just begun."  
  
"Stop saying that."  
  
Kendra shrugged. "Why? It's a good piece of advice." Harry crossed his arms and she sighed.  
  
"You don't know who she is, do you?"  
  
"Yes I do."  
  
"It's not her."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's not Faith. It's someone else. The answer is right in front of you and you don't even realize it. Or maybe you're just not looking hard enough."  
  
"I AM looking. I've BEEN looking. Please, just tell me."  
  
Kendra smiled. "She is the time when school is out and the weather is warmest. The time you hate the most."  
  
Harry thought for a moment. "Summer? THAT'S MY CLUE?!"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Summer. Summer." Suddenly, the light clicked on.  
  
"PROFESSOR SUMMERS?!" Kendra smiled.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Harry woke up and jumped. He jumped so far, he fell off the chair he was sitting on.  
  
"Nice of you to join the land of the living Harry." Hermione said smirking.  
  
"We have to go see Professor Summers! I know who she is!" He grabbed her arm and then pulled Ron away from his conversation with Neville.  
  
"Ah! Harry, what the bloody hell - "  
  
"I know who she is!" He exclaimed as they stepped outside the Common Room. "The person from my dream. 'She' isn't Professor Morgan at all. It's Professor Summers!"  
  
"Harry, slow down!" They stopped in front of the door to Buffy's office.  
  
"I had the same dream with Kendra in it and she told me who 'she' was - Professor Summers."  
  
"But that means - "  
  
"That's right Hermione." They spun around and stood directly in front of Professor O' Flaherty. He smiled. "I told you she was closer then you think."  
  
"So it's true. She really is, y' know, a slayer?" Ron asked.  
  
Angel nodded. "Come on inside."  
  
"Damnit Dawnie, stop being so stubborn!"  
  
"I'm not being stubborn!"  
  
"Are we interrupting something?"  
  
Buffy and Dawn were on opposite sides of the room. Giles stood between them, acting as the mediator.  
  
"Angel, so knock next time."  
  
"When coming into my own office?"  
  
"Angel, please - "Giles cut himself off upon seeing the three students. "Something the matter Harry?"  
  
"He found out Buffy is the slayer."  
  
Giles looked alarmed. "Good lord. How?"  
  
"Kendra told him. In a dream." Buffy smiled. "I told you you'd figure it out."  
  
"So if Buffy's the slayer then that mans that - DAWN'S the key!"  
  
"Yes Hermione. Dawn is the key. You'll find out why we always fight over it soon enough."  
  
"How?"  
  
Buffy glanced at Giles.  
  
"Call it a hunch."  
  
A/N: That's it for now. Remember, go to www.xanga.com/jacy for future chapter outlines and an excerpt from the next chapter : ) 


	9. Slayers

A/N: Nothing presently. Just a reminder to go to my website (http://www.xanga.com/jacy) for more spoilers : )  
  
Can somebody PLEASE tell me Kendra's last name? For now, I'm making one up, so don't bite my head off if it's wrong...  
  
ColdFang: You're very welcome - glad you liked it.  
  
Quote of the Day: "And it's a monster see? Grr, argh." - Tara and the finger puppet monster, ep- the one when Giles leaves *sniff*  
  
Chapter Nine - Slayers  
  
"I have some good news and some bad news for you." Angel said as the Gryffindor class took out their quills. "The bad news is we will be skipping our unit on werewolves until further notice or until I can get a hold of our guest speaker." He grinned at their surprised faces.  
  
"The good news is today we will be starting our unit on slayers." Harry, Ron, and Hermione, startled at first, now beamed with delight.  
  
Professor Giles walked in with an armful of books.  
  
"Ah, Professor Giles. There you are." Giles glared and mumbled something under his breath about former vampires and useless strength. Angel smirked to hide his laughter.  
  
"As many of you have pointed out, the slayer is often made out to be a myth. Well, we are out to prove you wrong."  
  
Giles put the books down on the desk and wiped his brow. "These are past and present Watcher's Diaries." He said somewhat out of breath. "They explain what sort of things a slayer does from the watcher's point of view. You will each receive one of the diaries. I want you to read them and get to know your slayer as if she were standing right in front of you at this very moment. At the end of this unit, Professor O' Flaherty and I will have a surprise for you."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"If I told you, Mr. Longbottom, it wouldn't be a surprise." Neville pouted.  
  
"Once you receive your book, please begin reading until the end of class."  
  
Ron, Harry, and Hermione opened their books at the same time with wide eyes.  
  
"I got Professor Summers! I wonder if she planned that." Hermione said thoughtfully.  
  
"Diary of the Watcher of Faith Morgan - MORGAN?! Harry, I thought you said Professor Morgan wasn't a slayer! Harry? Are you all right?" Ron asked confused.  
  
Harry pointed to his book. "Diary of the Watcher of Kendra Kamei" Harry shot a glance at Professor O' Flaherty who smiled at him. "Problem Mr. Potter?"  
  
"No, no, no." He said nervously. He and Hermione exchanged a glance.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Buffy stood outside the door to Xander's office. She had been debating all day whether or not to speak with him. She finally had the courage to go talk. All she needed to do was knock on the door.  
  
Ten minutes later, all she still had to do was knock.  
  
"Looking for something?" Buffy jumped as Xander came up behind her.  
  
"Jesus - can you not do that?"  
  
"Look, what do you want?" He asked opening the door.  
  
"To talk."  
  
"I don't want to talk."  
  
"Then listen." She closed the door behind her. Xander busied himself with some papers on his desk.  
  
"I know that I shouldn't have lied. I feel really bad about it. I just -." She sighed frustrated, and said quietly, "I just didn't want you to feel guilty." She heard Xander stop what he was doing.  
  
"I was happy, calm. Completely at peace with myself. I knew that the world could get on without me, that you would all go on without me. And I was yanked out of there. And here I am again." Tears stung Buffy's eyes.  
  
"I'm so afraid Xander. You have no idea how afraid I was. I just didn't want any of you to think it was your fault."  
  
"Buffy." Xander pulled her into a hug.  
  
"I'm so sorry."  
  
"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."  
  
"I shouldn't have lied."  
  
"You had your reasons. I see that now."  
  
"Why didn't anyone tell ME there was a group hug?" Willow said, hurt. Buffy laughed and pulled her over.  
  
"AWE." The three of them mock glared at Anya and Tara, who were standing in the doorway.  
  
And they all started laughing, and didn't stop.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Hermione stood outside Buffy's office.  
  
"Professor Summers?"  
  
"Come on in, the door's open."  
  
Hermione stepped in and Buffy appeared from a door in the wall.  
  
"Hermione. You need help with something?"  
  
"I sort of have a question about the Defense Against the Dark Arts assignment."  
  
"OK?"  
  
"Professor Giles gave us an assignment to read a Watcher's Diary and...well...I got one. About you."  
  
Buffy was somewhat shocked. Even SHE hadn't read Giles' diary. She was slightly offended, but shook it off.  
  
"I see. Confused about anything?"  
  
"You really burnt down your school gym?"  
  
Buffy grinned. "Ah yes, the winter dance my sophomore year. One of the many reasons we moved to good old Sunnydale. Just you wait. That was nothing compared to what me, Xander and Willow did to our high school our senior year." Buffy grinned at her anxious expression.  
  
There was another knock at the door.  
  
"Come in."  
  
Harry walked in and seemed a little startled to see Hermione sitting there.  
  
"Problem?"  
  
"Er- no. I was actually looking for Professor Morgan."  
  
"Defense Against the Dark Arts? And you got Faith's diary? Now THAT'S interesting."  
  
"Err - no, Ron did. Actually, I got Kendra's."  
  
Buffy's face went slightly pale. "Oh. I see. Well, umm...yeah." She shifted her feet slightly. "Professor Morgan is next door. I'm sure she won't mind you visiting."  
  
"OK. Bye Hermione."  
  
"Bye.' Buffy looked from one student to the other and smiled.  
  
When Harry walked out, Buffy sat down next to Hermione.  
  
"You like Harry, don't you?"  
  
Hermione looked startled. "Pardon?"  
  
"It's pretty obvious. He feels the same way, can't you tell?"  
  
"I - I never really thought about it."  
  
"Well, maybe I can help you out."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Professor Rosenburg and I have been planning a Halloween costume dance for the older grades. Why don't you ask Harry to go."  
  
"I'm - I'm not too sure." Hermione bit her lip.  
  
"Well, I have it on good authority that Dawn is going to ask Ron. Why don't you make it a double date?"  
  
"Do you think he'll say yes?"  
  
Buffy smiled. Hermione's feelings for Harry reminded her of Willow's crush on Xander.  
  
"Oh he will. I have the feeling that you two are going to get along just fine."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A week before the dance, Hermione still hadn't asked Harry about the dance. The whole school was talking about what they were wearing, who they were taking - including Harry, Ron and Dawn.  
  
"Hey Hermione." Dawn didn't even look up from her book.  
  
"Hey Dawn." She kept looking at her.  
  
Dawn closed her book. "OK, what's up?"  
  
"I need to ask you a question. About the dance."  
  
Dawn shied away from her. "You're not going to ask me out are you?"  
  
"No, you idiot!" She swatted at her arm and Dawn giggled.  
  
"I was wondering if you were going to ask Ron. To the dance I mean. Maybe if he says yes, we can go on a double date."  
  
"With you and...?" Dawn arched an eyebrow.  
  
"Harry." Hermione said quickly.  
  
"Aahh. I see. Well, how about this. We can both work up the courage to ask them out ourselves. Or we can just go as four friends who want to have a good time."  
  
"I like that last idea."  
  
Dawn smiled. "Me too."  
  
~* Meanwhile, in Harry and Ron's dormitory... *~  
  
"Harry, are you EVER going to ask Hermione to the dance?"  
  
"I should be asking you the same question about Dawn."  
  
Ron glared. "I was hoping she would take the initiative and ask me, but it's just not looking like a possibility."  
  
"Well, why don't we all go a friends and see how things go."  
  
Ron thought for a second. "I like your thinking Harry."  
  
"Well, of course, it's MY thinking."  
  
"Conceited asshole."  
  
"Clumsy git."  
  
They grinned at each other.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Settle down class." The Gryffindors quieted at the sound of Professor Giles' voice.  
  
"As I am sure you have all heard, we have a special guest speaker here today."  
  
The class burst into excited whispers.  
  
"Quiet please. As we are still continuing our unit on slayers, I have taken the liberty of getting one of the present slayers to come and speak with you."  
  
"One of the slayers? But - there's only one." Parvati said, confused.  
  
Giles smiled. "Why don't you question her yourself.  
  
"May I present - Buffy Summers."  
  
Imagine their shock when Professor Summers walked into the room.  
  
A/N: DON'T ARGUE WITH ME ABOUT THE DIARIES! LoL  
  
OK, I know what you're thinking - how can there be enough diaries for all the seventh years? Well, I can assure you, there would be. Think about it - there's what, say.100 students per year? If slayers have been around since the Civil War, and they only lived about three years or so, then there are certainly PLENTY of Watcher's Diaries to go around. (Yes, I thought about how to explain this if the question ever came up. I even did the math...I am such an obsessive dork :P)  
  
Hope you're enjoying reading this as much as I am writing it! REVIEW - Oh, and visit my website! It's there for YOU!  
  
http://www.xanga.com/jacy  
  
~* Luv, Jacy *~ 


	10. Lover's Walk

A/N: Heh heh heh...don't you all just LOVE cliffhangers :P I know I do.  
  
OK, I'm sorry for the torture. Let me respond to my reviewers and then I'll get on with the story : ) And yes, I stole the name of this chapter from a Buffy episode....DON'T SUE! I KNOW IT'S NOT MINE! LoL  
  
To make up for the past few short chapters, this one is a long one, or at least longer then usual. Mind you, I could have been cruel and made it a cliffhanger somewhere in the middle, but I was nice...and I had nothing better to do besides type :)  
  
Riverchic1998: I'm updating as we speak. Like I said before - I LOVE to see you squirm! :P  
  
TrinityLast: Glad you agree. It makes things A LOT easier. I don't know, what DOES that say about you? That you're as bad as I am? Better? Or worse? LoL  
  
Roswell428: No Buffy/Spike here...and you'll see how serious I am about the whole B/A thing in this chapter...ha ha!  
  
Quote of the Day: "I'm just a big fluffy puppy with bad teeth." - Spike, mocking Angel  
  
Chapter Nine - Lover's Walk  
  
Buffy beamed at the shocked faces of the students.  
  
"What? You look surprised. No wait, let me guess - somebody didn't divulge the information she discovered upon opening her diary." Hermione shrugged but smiled.  
  
"Figured as much."  
  
"Now's the time to ask your question Ms. Patil." Giles whispered.  
  
"What? Oh, right. Professor Giles said you were one of the present slayers. Could you explain this to me? I thought there could only be one slayer."  
  
"That's simple Parvati - I died." She eyed Angel and they both said, "Twice."  
  
"You-you died? Bu-but how -"  
  
"Very long story there. But if you'd like to hear it, I'm sure we could arrange to have a little story-telling session. From my point of view instead of my Watcher's." She slapped Giles on the back.  
  
"Wait a second - Professor GILES is your Watcher?" Ron said with wide eyes.  
  
"Yes, Professor Giles is my Watcher. Err, was my watcher - it's a very long, complicated story, way too long to tell in class. Why don't we meet in my classroom at eight since it's bigger and can accommodate more people, as I'm sure the other houses will want to come as well and so I don't have to answer the same questions twice."  
  
"ALL of the classes?" Parvati asked.  
  
"Yes Parvati, even the Slytherins." There was a collective groan.  
  
"Sorry guys. Oh, and do me a favor. When we're together outside of class, call me Buffy. This whole 'professor' thing makes me feel old and just plain gives me the wiggins."  
  
"Wiggins?"  
  
"Don't even ask Ron." Buffy slapped Angel's arm as he laughed and shook her head.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Dawn were the first people in Buffy's classroom that night - twenty minutes early.  
  
"Now's our chance Dawn." Hermione whispered. Dawn bit her lip and nodded.  
  
"Chance for what?" Ron asked.  
  
"Umm...well..." She rolled her eyes. "Oh screw it. Ron, will you go to the dance with me on Halloween?"  
  
'I can't believe I just did that.' That wasn't the way she had intended to ask, but fate has it's warped sense if humor.  
  
After the initial shock of the question subsided, Ron grinned. "Of course I will. But only if we make it a double date." He said, eyeing Harry.  
  
"Oh, but with who would we go?" Dawn asked, looking at Hermione.  
  
Harry and Hermione eyed each other.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"Yeh."  
  
"Would you go to the dance with me?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
They smiled at each other.  
  
"Awe, isn't that cute." Xander said, smiling boyishly.  
  
"Xand, leave the poor kids alone." Buffy said, stepping into the room, smiling at Dawn.  
  
"See, I told you he'd say yes." Hermione smiled at Buffy and looked at Harry. He smiled back.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ten minutes later, the room was bustling with activity. It was filled to the brim with seventh years from all houses, and a few sixth years. Even Malfoy showed up, to everyone's surprise.  
  
"Quiet down guys! Find a place on the floor and sit down. Before I start I have a couple of requests. One, while we're here, we're not your professors, we're your friends, and on a first name basis - Willow, Tara, Anya, Xander, Angel, Buffy, Giles, and Faith.  
  
"Two - If you fight, you're out. I understand that there is some major animosity between houses, two in particular. But while you're here, I ask that you keep your grudges outside. Understood?"  
  
There was a collective yes and nodding of heads.  
  
"Good. Are you guys sure you want to hear this? It's not all flowers and fluffy bunnies, I can assure you. If you're scared, or if you hear something you don't like, you're free to leave any time. Nobody's going to chastise you."  
  
She glanced at Giles. "OK, let's get started."  
  
In two hours, Buffy covered her first few months in Sunnydale, beginning with her run-in with Giles in the library, and ending with killer cheerleaders. There was a mutual glance at Angel when his name was mentioned. 'Only the beginning' he thought grimly. He noticed that Buffy was wearing the cross he had given her on their first meeting. He sighed.  
  
At ten, Buffy cut herself off. "Alright, I'm goingt to end here. Tomorrow, we'll pick up with demon puppets, and the beginning of a love story straight out of Romeo and Juliet."  
  
"Romeo and Juliet?" Ron asked.  
  
"Muggle literature reference. Don't worry about it." He shrugged.  
  
When the class cleared out, Buffy and Angel were left alone.  
  
"I need to ask you a question." Angel said quietly.  
  
"Fire away."  
  
"Would you mind if - if I wasn't here when you talked about your birthday."  
  
"My - oh." She took a breath. "No. Not at all. I understand." She leaned up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Don't make yourself uncomfortable. If you don't want to be here, then - "  
  
He cut her off with a kiss.  
  
She pulled away and smiled. "I like it when you shut me up."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Care to do it again?"  
  
His answer was another kiss.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The night of the Halloween dance, Ron paced around the Common Room  
  
"Please sit down Ron. You're giving me a headache."  
  
"Oh sod off Harry."  
  
"You guys ready down there?" Dawn called from the top of the stairs.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Harry sucked in his breath as Dawn and Hermione stepped down the stairs.  
  
Hermione was dressed in a short, white dress that shimmered in silver and fell an inch below her mid-thigh. It clung to her in all the right places, but still flowed with her every move. She wore her hair curled and framing her face with little silver stars caught in it. She was covered from head to foot in silver glitter and wore white thong sandals on her feet. And to top it off, she had multi-colored fairy wings.  
  
"Wow." Harry said.  
  
"I'll say." But Ron was looking at Dawn  
  
Dawn was wearing a long, low cut (but still modest) black dress with a slit up the right side that came up to her mid-thigh. She had her hair up in french braids with gold moons caught in them and wore the same sandals as Hermione, only in black. She was covered in gold glitter. There was red embroidery along the bottom of her dress and she had crimson wings sparkling with gold.  
  
"You look.amazing."  
  
"Thank you Ron. What do you think of the dark and light fairies?"  
  
"Suddenly liking evil a lot more." Harry hit Ron and Dawn laughed.  
  
"What do you think of OUR costumes?" Ron and Harry struck a pose and Dawn burst out into hysterical giggles.  
  
"Very cut Ron. Very cute."  
  
Ron and Harry dressed up as fifth century English noblemen. They got the idea from some Muggle movie they overheard Dawn and Anya talking about called "A Knight's Tale." Harry was wearing green, which only brought out his eyes even more, and Ron was wearing off-white.  
  
Dawn thought they looked a hell of a lot better then Heath Ledger ever could. Hermione's eyes were probably bulging out of her head.  
  
"Shall we?" Ron asked, offering Dawn his arm.  
  
"We shall."  
  
"Hermione."  
  
"Harry."  
  
She took his arm awkwardly, but eventually leaned into him, content that all was well.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Buffy had a mini-stroke when Dawn walked into the Great Hall.  
  
"How high is that slit? What is she thinking?"  
  
"Buffy, are you aware of how motherly you sound?" Buffy glared at the smirking Willow.  
  
"Oh hush up." She shoved Willow playfully, who laughed.  
  
"Are you going to go change?"  
  
"In a few minutes. I wanted to make sure that everything was okay here."  
  
As if on cue, someone screamed and the whole room fell silent.  
  
Buffy and Faith glanced at each other and raced in the direction of the scream.  
  
A small first year girl with blonde pigtails was quivering in a corner.  
  
"I didn't do it! I swear I didn't do it!"  
  
"It's okay sweetheart. Faith, stay here and keep an eye on her."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Buffy stepped into the classroom the girl was standing outside of.  
  
"Oh my god." But it wasn't a bad 'Oh my god'  
  
The room was empty.  
  
Buffy walked back outside and knelt beside the girl.  
  
"What's your name hun?"  
  
"Moyra."  
  
"Moyra. You're in my class right after lunch, right?"  
  
"Y-yes."  
  
"Oh, I like that class. The Ravenclaw first years love to give me a challenge."  
  
Moyra smiled a little.  
  
"Now, I need you to tell me something, ok? I need you to tell me what you saw. The room is empty now; it's all ok. Whatever it was can't hurt you. But I need to know."  
  
"It was a vampire" she whispered.  
  
"How many?"  
  
"Just one. Vampires are my worst fear. I don't like vampires."  
  
Buffy smiled. "Neither do I. Now, why doesn't Professor Morgan walk you back to your Common Room, ok?"  
  
Moyra nodded and walked off with Faith.  
  
By then, Buffy had realized the crowd surrounding her.  
  
"Disappearing worst nightmares. Perfect. Has anyone else seen their worst nightmares disappear faster then a speeding bullet?"  
  
Harry stepped forward. "This is just a guess, but - could it be a boggart."  
  
"A what art?"  
  
"A boggart. They like to live in small, dark, enclosed spaces and when they come in contact with people, they change into their worst fear."  
  
"I see. Well, feel like helping me defeat one?"  
  
"Yes." At the same time he said yes, about a dozen other people said no.  
  
"OK then, why don't you come in with me and I'll face the boggart."  
  
"No."  
  
"Hermione."  
  
"Harry."  
  
"Can someone please explain to me why Harry can face the big, bad wolf, but not another one of the little pigs?"  
  
"Because every time Harry faces one, it turns into a Dementor and...well...it doesn't end well." Harry glared at Hermione.  
  
"Oh, I see. Well, then can someone else PLEASE help me out? Professor Giles? Anyone?"  
  
"I'll go."  
  
Buffy arched her eyebrow. "Umm - thanks Angel."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Well, here's your dormitory Moyra. You're all safe and sound."  
  
Moyra smiled. "Thanks." She said the password, ("Flindiferous") and turned back around to face Faith.  
  
"You owe me one."  
  
"Ah, but I don't." Faith said smiling. "Angel owes you one."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Angel and Buffy stepped into the empty classroom. After searching for nearly half an hour, there was still no sign of a boggart anywhere.  
  
"I really think this girl was hallucinating. Probably just a little trick in Halloween - "  
  
She cut herself off when she saw Angel standing directly behind her with a box in his hand.  
  
The kind of box that usually has a ring in it.  
  
"Is - is that what I think it is?" She said, breathless.  
  
"Probably. I was never one for sappy farewells and speeches, so I'm just going to go down on one knee and say this straight out."  
  
Angel went down on his right knee and opened the box. Inside was a silver claddagh (sp.?) ring with a diamond in the center. When she looked closely, she could see the words "Angel and Buffy Forever" written on the inside in gold.  
  
"Buffy Anne Summers - marry me?"  
  
Her answer was to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him, knocking both of them to the floor.  
  
"Yes." She said in between kisses.  
  
They sat up and he slid the ring onto her finger. She wiggled her fingers to watch it sparkle.  
  
"You set me up didn't you?"  
  
Angel laughed. "I definitely own Moyra one. Ten points to Ravenclaw - and Faith."  
  
"Did everyone else know?"  
  
"Just Giles - he sends his blessings - says we're desperately going to need them." Buffy laughed. "So, should we tell everyone?" He asked her.  
  
"Nah. I'm curious to see if they notice the extra accessory on my left hand."  
  
"You're evil." He said, sliding his arms around his waist as they walked out.  
  
"Nope. I just pretend to be."  
  
Instead of heading towards the Great Hall, they somehow ended up outside their room.  
  
"I think we took a wrong turn back there somewhere."  
  
"What, you're complaining?"  
  
Buffy put her hand over his heart. "Nope. Especially not if you're thinking what I am."  
  
They exchanged a look and leaned in for a kiss. Somewhere in between grasping for each other's clothes and trying to find the doorknob, they managed to get inside their room and lock the door.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
She knew he was angry. She just knew it. She just didn't know why.  
  
After the scene outside of the classroom, Harry hadn't come back to the Great Hall. Nobody knew where he was, but a few people said they saw him heading towards the Astronomy tower.  
  
So that's where Hermione headed.  
  
And sure enough, there he was, staring out the window.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Harry, are you mad at me?"  
  
Silence, before, "Why did you have to bring up that whole thing with the Dementors?"  
  
"Oh Christ Harry, is that what this is about? Your pride?"  
  
Harry spun around. "You didn't have to bring it up 'Mione! Malfoy's finally stopped talking about me fainting, and you had to go and dredge it up again!"  
  
"Well you're the fool who was going to go face a boggart which could very well turn into a Dementor! I was just looking out for you!"  
  
"Looking out for me? Looking out for me?! Damnit Hermione, I can take care of myself!"  
  
"Yeh and some bloody good job you're doing of it! Do you think I like watching you put yourself in danger? This isn't about your pride Harry! It's about - "  
  
She never got to finish her sentence because Harry cut her off with kiss. Her eyes shot open and then shut again as she slid her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.  
  
When Harry finally pulled away, Hermione kept her arms wrapped around his shoulders.  
  
"I'm sorry." They both said together.  
  
"For what?" Still together.  
  
"You go - "Laughter. "Go first Harry."  
  
"I'm sorry for snapping at you. I shouldn't have."  
  
"I'm sorry for brining up the whole Dementor thing."  
  
"I'm sorry for kissing you."  
  
Hermione just looked at him, shocked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Harry Potter, that is one thing you never have to be sorry about."  
  
She initiated the kiss this time. She felt his hands go under the straps of her dress and she shivered.  
  
"Am I interrupting something?"  
  
'Ohgodohgodohgodohgod...' Hermione thought frantically.  
  
It was Professor McGonagall.  
  
"Explain yourselves."  
  
"Well, you see," she said slowly, "Harry came up here because he was mad and I followed him because I wanted to know why and then we got into a fight and - yeah."  
  
"I see. Be that as it may, twenty points from Gryffindor for being in a place you weren't supposed to be. And next time, save it for somewhere a little more private."  
  
They nodded.  
  
"Get back to your Common Room."  
  
She smirked as they walked out blushing, but still holding hands.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Buffy laid cradled in Angel's arms. Her head was nestled into the hollow of his shoulder. She slept silently.  
  
Angel ran the back of his hand along her cheek and neck until it rested on that scar.  
  
His scar.  
  
The one he gave her.  
  
Angel traced the scar with his fingertips and Buffy stirred slightly, but fell back to sleep.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Buffy awoke with Angel's hand draped lightly over her back. She nuzzled lightly into his shoulder and ran a few fingertips down his chest until they reached a somewhat large scar on his abdomen. Why had she never noticed that before?  
  
Ignorance.  
  
She knew it was her fault, her thrust of a sword to stop Acathala. She ran her left ring finger along the scar and sighed.  
  
It was a night just like this one that started it all. Even though she knew he was human now, a tendril of dread crept into her mind.  
  
Buffy prayed to any deity who would listen that Angel would still be there in the morning.  
  
A/N: See? Major B/A : )  
  
CALLING ALL SMUT WRITERS! LoL No really, I SERIOUSLY want to write that scene between Buffy and Angel. If you write smut, and you can do it well, PLEASE e-mail me (rememberingnyc2001@yahoo.com) and let me know if you can help me out. I'll credit the scene to you - I just really want it in there. You can write it any way you want, there's just a few things I want of Buffy and Angel's thoughts. Please write to me if you can help me out.  
  
Don't forget to visit my website - www.xanga.com/jacy - for information on chapter eleven. Chances are, I'll be putting up a sneak peek some time soon : ) 


	11. Subconscious Connections

A/N: This is by far my FAVORITE chapter. I hope it's yours too. Lots of flashbacks and dreams. Hope it's not too confusing.  
  
I wanted to focus on the dreams in this chapter for a reason - the prophecy characters understanding each other. Plus, it will all fall into place later for an even bigger reason.  
  
Yes, I know that I'm repeating a certain phrase A LOT, but that's because I want it stuck in your mind - it will come in handy later, I promise.  
  
Read on faithful readers.  
  
TigerBlak: Well, SOMETHING happened at the dance. Hope it's as good as you expected.  
  
TrinityLast: See? I'm getting better at this : p  
  
Dierdre: Thanks. Now, how about Kendra?  
  
Sammy: Glad you liked it : )  
  
Quote of the Day: "Thanksgiving is a sham. It's a sham with yams. It's a yam sham." - Buffy - Ep - Pangs  
  
Chapter Eleven - Subconscious Connections  
  
"With dreams come responsibility."  
  
The thunder rolled in the sky that night at Hogwarts. The lightning struck in bolts, connecting more then just clouds and rain.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
BUFFY: What are you doing?  
  
DAWN: I have to jump. The energy.  
  
BUFFY: It'll kill you.  
  
DAWN: I know. Buffy, I know about the ritual. I have to stop it.  
  
BUFFY: No.  
  
DAWN: I have to. Look at what's happening. Buffy, you have to let me go. Blood starts it, and until the blood stops flowing, it'll never stop. You know you have to let me. It has to have the blood.  
  
SPIKE: Cause it's always got to be blood.  
  
BUFFY VOICEOVER: It's Summers blood. It's just like mine.  
  
BUFFY: She's me. The monks made her out of me.  
  
FIRST SLAYER: Death is your gift.  
  
BUFFY: Death...  
  
FIRST SLAYER VOICEOVER: ...is your gift.  
  
Buffy frowns and turns around slowly.  
  
DAWN: Buffy ... no!  
  
BUFFY: Dawnie, I have to.  
  
DAWN: No!  
  
BUFFY: Listen to me. Please, there's not a lot of time, listen.  
  
BUFFY VOICEOVER as Buffy turns around and dives off of the platform into the portal: Dawn, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will *always* love you. But this is the work that I have to do. Tell Giles ... tell Giles I figured it out. And, and I'm okay. And give my love to my friends. You have to take care of them now. You have to take care of each other. You have to be strong. Dawn, the hardest thing in this world ... is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Lily! Take Harry and go!"  
  
"No James. I won't leave you!"  
  
"He's coming - Lily, please!"  
  
There was a flash of green light.  
  
"There is no good and evil. Only power and those too weak to seek it."  
  
"You think you know, who you are, what's to come. But you've only just begun."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Dawn awoke with a slight scream. She shot upright and looked around. "Where am..." She rubbed here eyes, and the previous night came back into focus.  
  
She, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had decided (for privacy's sake) to hang out in Dawn's room and talk.  
  
Instead, they had a massive pillow fight, dissolved onto the bed in mad fits of giggles, and fell asleep soon after.  
  
Together.  
  
On her bed.  
  
Hermione was lying with her back against Harry's chest. His arm was draped casually over her side. Ron was stretched out, his hand to the side where she had previously been holding it.  
  
Dawn rubbed her temples, trying to remember what exactly it was she had been dreaming about. She vaguely remembered something about Harry and...were those his parents?  
  
'But how could I know that?' She brushed her hair out of her face, confused because that wasn't all she had dreamt about.  
  
She heard Tara speaking at the end, but why the words were familiar, even though she couldn't remember them...she had no idea.  
  
~*  
  
Harry awoke with a slight start. He glanced around the room and thought he saw Dawn sitting up at the edge of the bed. He slowly slipped his arms from around Hermione and sat up.  
  
He finally understood why Dawn was so upset by 'that whole key thing' as he and Ron had begun to call it.  
  
Buffy died.  
  
For her.  
  
In her place.  
  
The scene was still as vivid as ever in his mind. He finally understood why this group was so close. After sharing something like that, who wouldn't be?  
  
Harry saw Dawn get up and slip out of the room. He decided to follow her.  
  
Tara's words were still ringing in his mind, louder even then the scene he couldn't seem to forget.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
DAWN VOICEOVER: I'm not like you, Buffy. I don't have anybody.  
  
BUFFY: What?! Of course you do. You have me!  
  
DAWN: No, I don't. You won't even look at me. It's so obvious you don't want me around.  
  
BUFFY: That's not true.  
  
DAWN: Yes it is. Mom ... died, and it's like you don't even care.  
  
BUFFY: Of course I care. How can you even think that?  
  
DAWN: How can I not? You haven't even cried. You've just been running around like it's been some big chore or something. Cleaning up after Mom's mess.  
  
Buffy slapped Dawn across the face. Dawn yelped and put her hand to her cheek. Buffy put her hand over her mouth in horror.  
  
BUFFY: Dawn ... I've been ... working. I've been busy, because I have to-  
  
DAWN: No! You've been avoiding me.  
  
BUFFY: I'm not! ... I have to do these things, 'cause ... 'cause when I stop, then she's really gone.  
  
BUFFY: And I'm trying. Dawn, I am, I am really trying to take care of things, but I don't even know what I'm doing. Mom always knew.  
  
DAWN: Nobody's asking you to be Mom.  
  
BUFFY: Well, who's gonna be if I'm not? Huh, Dawn? Have you even thought about that? Who's gonna make things better? Who's gonna take care of us?  
  
DAWN: Buffy...  
  
BUFFY: I didn't mean to push you away, I didn't. I just, I couldn't let you see me.  
  
BUFFY: Oh god, Dawnie...  
  
BUFFY: I don't know what we're gonna do. I'm scared.  
  
DAWN: Buffy...  
  
BUFFY: Dawn. .  
  
DAWN: It's okay. It's okay.  
  
Buffy and Dawn sitting on the ground together.  
  
BUFFY: Are you okay? Did she hurt you?  
  
DAWN: Why do you care?  
  
BUFFY: Because I love you. You're my sister.  
  
DAWN: No I'm not.  
  
BUFFY: Yes you are. Buffy lifts Dawn's arm. Her arm and hand are still bloody  
  
BUFFY: Look, it's blood. It's Summers blood.  
  
Buffy presses her hand against the tire-iron wound on her shoulder, wincing a little. She clasps her bloody hand in Dawn's bloody hand.  
  
BUFFY: It's just like mine. It doesn't matter where you came from, or, or how you got here. You are my sister. There's no way you could annoy me so much if you weren't.  
  
Dawn looks at her for a moment, then hugs her tightly. They both get teary- eyed.  
  
DAWN: I was so scared.  
  
BUFFY: Me too.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Death is your gift."  
  
"Stop it. Just - just stop it! I've already given my gift to the world. What more do you want from me?"  
  
"Your gift."  
  
"But I've already given it!" Softer, "I don't understand."  
  
"You will."  
  
"You think you know who you are, what's to come. But you've only just begun."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Angel awoke with a start, accidentally jostling Buffy awake.  
  
"Oh god." he whispered.  
  
He had seen it. All of it. The way she suffered when her mother died. He had only been there for a few short hours, a few short kisses. She said she was "needy". He would have given her the world, if that's what she wanted.  
  
But what was this about blood? He put a hand over his face, trying to make something out of everything. He knew what it meant - but why?  
  
Buffy reached up and tenderly stroked his cheek. She tried, unsuccessfully, to wipe the worried look off her face. She had dreamt of the first slayer. Again. And she still reminded her of her gift.  
  
Buffy didn't understand. Did she have to die a THIRD time? She couldn't bear it again.  
  
They couldn't bear it again.  
  
HE couldn't bear it again.  
  
"Are you alright?" Angel asked her.  
  
Buffy wrinkled her nose. "No. I dreamt about the first slayer again. And at the end, I heard Tara...again, saying the weirdest thing. 'You think you know, who you are, what's to come - "  
  
"But you've only just begun? Yeah, I heard it too."  
  
"Great. We're sharing dreams again. Whenever we share dreams, there's a big evil lurking about." She sighed. "It figures, huh? Never could get a vacation."  
  
Angel kissed the top of her head. "I know." He glanced at the clock - 7:30.  
  
"We should go talk to Giles."  
  
Buffy nodded. "OK."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"A friend."  
  
"What if I don't want a friend?"  
  
"I never said I was yours."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"Your not supposed to. You weren't meant to. You want to help him? Give him your strength."  
  
"My strength?"  
  
The woman nodded.  
  
"I still don't understand."  
  
"Like I said, you're not supposed to. Not until the time comes. You think you know who you are, what's to come. But you've only just begun."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Hermione awoke groggily, but bolted upright when she remembered her dream.  
  
"Give him your strength - Ron, wake up!"  
  
Ron groaned and sat up. "What?" He hissed.  
  
"Where's Harry and Dawn?"  
  
Ron suddenly became very alert. "I - I don't know. But I just had the strangest dream."  
  
"Me too. Give him strength - don't know what the hell THAT was all about." Ron paled. "Ron? What's wrong?"  
  
"'Mione - we had the same dream."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"Did your dream end with Professor McClay speaking to you?"  
  
"You think you know who you are, what's to come."  
  
"But you've only just begun."  
  
They glanced at each other. "We need to find Harry and Dawn and go talk to Professor Dumbledore. Now." Hermione said, getting up.  
  
"And possibly Professor Giles?"  
  
"Agreed."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Buffy is walking through Faith's apartment, her arms crossed in front of her. There are cardboard boxes stacked everywhere. Buffy stops and sees a cat jump up on Faith's bed.  
  
Buffy: "Who's going to look after him?"  
  
Faith: "It's a she. And aren't these things supposed to take care of themselves?" She walks up behind Buffy and stops next to her.  
  
Buffy: "A higher power guiding us?"  
  
Faith looks at her then turns away and keeps around: "I'm pretty sure that's not what I meant."  
  
Buffy looking down: "There's something I'm supposed to be doing."  
  
Faith: "Oh yeah. - Miles to go - Little Ms. Muffet counting down from 7-3- 0."  
  
Buffy grimaces: "Great. - Riddles."  
  
Faith standing in front of the broken window looking out: "Sorry, it's my head. A lot of new stuff."  
  
Buffy looks at her with a half smile. The cat on the bed turns for a split second into the image of a girl (Faith?) laying on the bed in white gown at the same time as Faith still looking out the broken window says: "They are never going to fix this, are they?"  
  
Buffy concerned: "What about you?"  
  
Faith turns around and gestures at her head: "Scar tissue. It fades. It all fades."  
  
Buffy looks down with a frown. For a split second Faith's bloody knife appears in the palm of her hand.  
  
Faith as Buffy looks back up: "You want to know the deal? Human weakness - never goes away. Not even his."  
  
Buffy with a half smile: "Is this your mind or mine?"  
  
Faith with a short laugh: "Beats me."  
  
~*  
  
Buffy is in her bed in Joyce's house, sitting up startled. The covers are rumpled around her. She lies back.  
  
Buffy is suddenly standing in the doorway of the bedroom, looking at the bed, the blankets rumpled.  
  
BUFFY: Faith and I just made that bed.  
  
TARA: For who?  
  
BUFFY: I thought you were here to tell me. The guys aren't here, are they? We were gonna hang out (looks at Tara) and, watch movies t-  
  
TARA: You lost them.  
  
BUFFY: No. No. I think they need me to find them.  
  
The digital alarm clock next to the bed says 7:30 AM.  
  
BUFFY: It's too late.  
  
TARA: Oh ... that clock's completely wrong. Here. Tara holds out the Tarot card "Manus"  
  
BUFFY: I'm never gonna use those  
  
TARA: You think you know ... what's to come ... what you are. But you've only just begun  
  
The bed is now neatly made.  
  
BUFFY: I think I need to go find the others. She leaves.  
  
TARA: Be back before Dawn.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Faith awakened and sat up in bed. The dreams were still present in her mind.  
  
Realizing what they meant, Faith sighed and threw the covers off of her.  
  
"Oh, fuck." She threw a sweater on and ran off to find Giles.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Harry followed Dawn to one of the towers. It had a fairly large balcony overlooking the grounds. Dawn was standing outside watching the stars set and the sunrise. There was still a fair amount of lightning, but no thunder or rain. Dawn's hair was blowing about her face and - was she crying?  
  
Harry approached her carefully. "Dawn?"  
  
Dawn had her eyes closed and they fluttered open and looked at him, not so much surprised as confused. "Harry. Did you follow me up here?"  
  
He came out onto the balcony. "Yeah. I saw you leave the room and I was worried, so I followed you. Why are you crying?"  
  
"Just remembering. I rarely go onto any balconies or high platforms anymore. They remind me too much of...of..."  
  
"Of your sister's death?" He whispered, and then put a hand to his mouth. He hadn't meant to say that out loud.  
  
'Shit, shit, shit...'  
  
Dawn spun around. "How did you - "  
  
"I - I dreamt it. I - I saw the - the whole thing. Everything."  
  
Dawn was so bewildered, she didn't know what to say. "I - I dreamt about your parents."  
  
Harry looked at her with wide eyes.  
  
"I don't know how or - or why, but - I saw it happen. And then, Tara was there, and she said the weirdest thing to me. 'You think you know who you are, what's to come."  
  
"But you've only just begun? Yeah, I heard it too."  
  
"I don't understand. Why are we trading dreams here?"  
  
Harry sighed. "We should talk to Professor Dumbledore."  
  
"In a minute." She said, turning around. "I want to watch the sunrise."  
  
They stood there in silence, not saying a word, but understanding all the same.  
  
A/N: DONE! Ha ha! I LOVE this chapter, and I hope you do too. And don't go ragging on me about all the flashbacks. They are VERY important :P Visit my website for more info!  
  
~* Luv Jacy *~ 


	12. Counting Down with Miles to Go to See th...

A/N: Hey all. Sorry for the delay - I haven't had much time lately to type.  
  
I hope there weren't too many of you confused about the last chapter. I'm sorry if you were, but I'm glad you all liked it as much as I loved writing it : )  
  
GOD I HAVE WRITRER'S BLOCK! I'm stuck on chapter fifteen- It's Christmas, they've exchanged gifts, and now I'm drawing a blank. I know what I want to happen, but NOT NOW. It's too early.  
  
Fairysk8ter: See? I knew SOMEONE was confused. But I'm glad you liked it anyway.  
  
Riverchic1998: Cool webpage! Glad you loooove this story - that's what I'm here for : )  
  
S.M.: I'll try : )  
  
Roswell428: I'm trying to update as much as possible - I HATE HOMEWORK!  
  
TrinityLast: I wish I could be this much of a well-developed writer in my AP English Lit class.GRR  
  
TigerBlak: NO CRYING ALOUD! Look! It's here! LoL  
  
Sammy: Thanks again.  
  
And to the anonymous reviewer, thank you for all five of your reviews (LoL). OK, maybe Kendra doesn't have a last name on the show - but she does now. This is my story, and I'm giving her one : )  
  
Quote of the Day: "Is this your mind or mine?" "Beats me." - Buffy and Faith, Grad. Day, part 2  
  
Chapter Twelve - Counting Down with Miles to Go to See the Wizard  
  
Ron and Hermione walked through the halls on their way to Professor Dumbledore's office. The castle was empty of anyone above second year because it was a Hogsmeade weekend. Hermione had thrown a robe over her pink camisole and matching pink shorts. Ron was still in his maroon tee shirt and flannel pants.  
  
They both looked exhausted.  
  
"Ow!" Ron bumped into something and fell to the floor in a heap.  
  
"Will you watch - " Dawn cut herself off. She hadn't realized it was Ron that she bumped into. She got a little nervous when she saw him.  
  
After watching the sunrise, Harry and Dawn spoke for a while about a couple of things. Their conversation ended with a friendly peck on the lips. No sparks. Just pure friendship.  
  
There wasn't anything wrong with that, was there?  
  
'Then why do I feel so guilty?' By the look on Harry's face, she knew he was thinking the same thing.  
  
"And where were you two all morning?" Hermione said putting her hands on her hips.  
  
Ron helped Dawn to her feet. "We were up in the tower. Not like that - don't get any ideas. We were just...talking. Seriously. And now, we're going to see Professor Dumbledore."  
  
"Well, so are we, so we can go there together." Ron said, putting his arm around Dawn's shoulders a little tighter then usual.  
  
'Great, now he's gone all possessive on me.' Dawn sighed inwardly.  
  
As they started walking, Hermione grabbed Harry's hand and smiled. Harry smiled back.  
  
"So, why are you guys going to see Professor Dumbledore?" Ron asked.  
  
"Basically, Harry and I played 'let's swap dreams for the night'. I dreamt about Harry's parents and he dreamt about my sister's death." Dawn stopped for a second. 'Did I really just say that so nonchalantly? Oh boy.' She shook her head and continued walking. "It was odd, perfectly detailed. And the weirdest part was, we both ended with the same statement - 'You think you know who you are, what's to come - "  
  
"But you've only just begun." Ron said with her, eyes wide.  
  
Dawn looked at him, shocked. "Oh no, not you too."  
  
Ron sighed. "Oh bother."  
  
"You didn't - I mean, you weren't -"  
  
Ron understood her worry. "No. Hermione and I had EXACTLY the same dream as each other. Kendra told us to 'give him your strength.'"  
  
"Are you sure it was Kendra?" Harry asked.  
  
"Positive. Absolutely." Hermione said nodding.  
  
Dawn groaned. "Oh Christ, why me?"  
  
"Why you what?" Buffy asked, coming up behind her.  
  
"Multiple dreams syndrome with the same ending. That pretty much sums it up, wouldn't you say?" Dawn asked, turning to Harry.  
  
"Definitely."  
  
It was Buffy's turn to groan. "Did your dreams end with Tara saying her most famous line about not knowing and just beginning?"  
  
"Yeah. Why? Oh shit, not you too?"  
  
Buffy sighed. "Yup. Both of us."  
  
Dawn slapped her forehead. "I'm getting a headache."  
  
"Hitting yourself like that doesn't help babe." She turned to Angel. "Did I ever mention that I HATE prophecies?"  
  
"Multiple times."  
  
Buffy shook her head. "We're off to see the wizard. Again."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"So, all six of you, for the most part, had different dreams, but they all ended with the same phrase?" Giles asked, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose.  
  
"Yeah. You could say that." Buffy said, perching herself on the arm of the chair Dawn was sitting in.  
  
"Well, this just about confirms what we were discussing about the prophecy. It most definitely concerns the six of you." Dumbledore said, leaning his chin on his hands.  
  
"There's a prophecy? Concerning us?"  
  
"Yes Mr. Weasly. There is."  
  
Hermione leaned forward in her seat. "What exactly is it about?"  
  
Dawn bit her lip and turned to Buffy. " I think we have some major explaining to do."  
  
Buffy nodded. "They need to understand."  
  
"Understand WHAT?" Harry asked, more then a bit annoyed that Buffy was keeping things from them again.  
  
Dumbledore opened "Propheticia" and let the three of them read the prophecy. Harry practically dropped the book when he read the part about himself. Ron sucked in his breath at the mention of he and Hermione. Hermione just gaped, wide eyed. They all looked up at Professor Dumbledore at the same time.  
  
"As I said - it concerns all SIX of you." Dumbledore's eyes gleamed.  
  
"All - " Hermione's voice came out as a hoarse whisper so she cleared her throat. "All right, I - WE understand most of this. But the rest is sort of vague."  
  
Faith chose that time to come into Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Hi, sorry to interrupt. B, come out here for a sec? I need to talk to you."  
  
Buffy just shrugged and followed Faith out.  
  
"OK, Lemme guess - weird dream last night?"  
  
"Oh yeah, big time. It - I've had it before."  
  
"You have?"  
  
"While I was in the coma. You had it too. Don't you remember?"  
  
Buffy searched her mind. "No - Yes. We were making the bed in your apartment, and you said something about little Ms. Muffet and 7-3-0."  
  
"And then - Tara."  
  
"Yeah I know. I've only just begun. We dreamt it too."  
  
"No, you don't get it. I had YOUR dream with Tara. You glanced at the clock and it said 7:30 and you said that you and I just made the bed. 7:30 Buffy!"  
  
"7-3 - oh."  
  
"And then she said to be back before Dawn. She wasn't talking about the time of day - she was talking about your sister - the key! Don't you see? It's all been connected, all this time, and we didn't notice."  
  
"I - I don't understand."  
  
Faith threw up her hands and grasped Buffy's upper arms. "Don't you get it? Everything foreshadows everything else. When this prophecy says apocalypse it means APOCALYPSE. If Voldemort goes through with this, if he kills Dawn and uses her blood to get power, everything you've ever done, anything you've ever defeated, will come back. Everything will be reversed Buffy! The master, the mayor, Glory! All of it."  
  
She let go of Buffy who stood there, stunned.  
  
"Oh my god."  
  
"Now you get it." Faith sighed. "Bloodshed. It's always about the blood, isn't it?"  
  
Buffy snapped back to a moment a year earlier, a moment between she and Spike - "Because it's always got to be about the blood."  
  
"B? Hey B? You in there?"  
  
"It's always about the blood." She whispered.  
  
"Yeah, that's what I just said. You okay?"  
  
Buffy shook her head. "This is all too much. I - we have to put all of this together, fit together the pieces of the puzzle. C'mon."  
  
Buffy yanked Faith back into Dumbledore's office and slammed the door.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I don't believe it. I - I just don't believe it." Faith said, shaking her head.  
  
"It's all connected Faith, just like you said." Buffy said.  
  
"I hate it when I'm right."  
  
"Yeah. So do I."  
  
Faith revealed her dream to Giles and Dumbledore, which sent all of them into a fit of analyzing. Lo and behold, everything fit together somewhere. Just like the pieces of a puzzle, all it took was a little thinking to figure it out.  
  
What they came up with:  
  
Something in Harry's blood stopped Voldemort from killing him. Dawn's blood opened Glory's portal. Buffy's blood stopped it. Death is Buffy's gift and the monks made the key out of her. Buffy first found out she and Dawn shared a blood tie that night in the hospital when their mom died. Tara's phrase first presented itself in the dream caused by the First Slayer's influence, and mentioned Dawn and 7-3-0, which was first mentioned in Faith's dream.  
  
"But I still don't understand where my and Hermione's dream fits into all of this. 'Give him strength.' I don't understand."  
  
"Neither do I Ron. Which is why we asked Willow to do some research for us."  
  
"Are you sure she'll find it?"  
  
Buffy looked at Ron, aghast. "Of COURSE I'm sure! She's WILLOW! Willow ALWAYS - "  
  
"Found it!" Willow walked into Giles' office happily with a book in her hands.  
  
"One Ritual of Endowment. It's used to transfer the strength of one person or persons into another. It begins with drawing blood from the palm of people with ties to that person. It's a soul spell, so it requires the Orb of Thesula, which I'm sure we can conveniently get our hands on, but I'm not sure about the weapon used to draw blood. It's called the Weapon of Athena. Does that ring a bell with any of you?"  
  
Faith and Buffy glanced at the picture of the weapon, and then at each other.  
  
"Is that what I think it is?" Buffy asked Faith.  
  
"There's only one way to know - You still have it?"  
  
"In my weapon's trunk."  
  
"Go get it."  
  
Buffy walked out and Faith was left to tend with the cryptic stares from everyone else in the room.  
  
When Buffy returned, she was holding a knife, the same knife that was originally given to Faith by the mayor. She compared it to the picture of the Weapon of Athena.  
  
"We have a match."  
  
Faith shook her head. "It's all connected. The weapon you used to put me in a coma, which led to the 7-3-0 dream, which led to - "  
  
"Everything else."  
  
Buffy shook her head and turned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They were the only clueless ones in the room. Everyone else, for the most part, had figured it out.  
  
"Guys, get comfortable." Buffy said grimly. "We're gonna be here a while. It's story time."  
  
A/N: I LOVE "The Watcher's Guide"! I NEVER made the 7-3-0 connection. I was always so confused by that - wow, it makes sense! Does anyone know when volume THREE is coming out? They HAVE to be making a volume three - right?  
  
REVIEW - please? ::puppy face:: 


	13. Blood Ties

A/N: I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!  
  
I have had ZERO time to update this damn story, and I'm sorry for taking so long, and I'm also sorry for what is going to be a very LONG author's note.  
  
OK, first thing. My friend (Lainamalthea) just wrote a Harry Potter H/Hr story called "Fire Spirits". PLEASE go read it. It's not finished, but I read what she has planned, and its FANTASTIC. Please, do her a favor and read and review.  
  
I am, once again, blocked beyond belief. I finished up to chapter sixteen. I am now up to Buffy's birthday, and have no idea where to go. Man, this bites.  
  
For those of you confused by the 7-3-0 thing - Here's the abridged explanation.  
  
Ok, so in Graduation Day Part Two, Faith and Buffy share that dream, and Faith says "Miles to go. Little Miss Muffet counting down to 7-3-0." And it makes NO sense whatsoever. I mean, it's a riddle, its not supposed to make sense. Then, in the episode Restless, Buffy has a dream with Tara in it. She looks at the bed and tells Tara, "Faith and I just made that bed." And she looks at the clock and it says 7:30. See how they connect? Do you get it? Please say you get it cuz I have no idea how else to explain it : (  
  
To you:  
  
Riverchic1998: I'll update as soon as I update the fanfic, ok?  
  
Roswell428: Well then, : )  
  
Maria: See above explanation.  
  
Fairysk8ter: There will be absolutely NO Harry/Dawn relationship. I just threw that in for good measure and for something else later.  
  
TrinityLast: See above explanation.  
  
TigerBlak: Don't beat your stuffed tiger or your puppy. That's not very nice, LoL.  
  
Veggie-babu-chan: Nope, no Hr/R, Hr/D, or S/B ships in this story. Sorry.  
  
Well, now that THAT'S over with - ONWARD!  
  
Quote of the Day: "I'll just jump in my time machine, go back to the 12th century, and ask the vampires to postpone their ancient prophecy for a few days while you take in dinner and a show." "Okay, at this point, you're abusing sarcasm." - Giles and Buffy  
  
Chapter Thirteen - Blood Ties  
  
"Wow. Just - wow."  
  
"Yeah. I guess you could say that."  
  
Harry sat there, stunned. Buffy told her story, unabridged, leaving absolutely nothing out, from the time she found out she was the slayer in LA to the point she got the letter to come teach at Hogwarts. It took hours, but Harry, Hermione, and Ron were attentive the entire time.  
  
Harry finally understood, once and for all, why this group was so close, and yet whey there was always tension in the air when they were together. Trouble seemed to find them no matter where they went, and obviously, Hogwarts was no exception to that rule.  
  
"So - so you were sent here to protect Harry?" Hermione asked, still somewhat shaken by Buffy's story.  
  
"Yes. WE were sent here to protect Harry, not realizing there would be a major prophecy involved."  
  
"There's always a prophecy involved, B."  
  
"Shut up Faith."  
  
"Alright, now here's my question." Harry said.  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"This whole prophecy thing seems to revolve around me defeating Voldemort. What I want to know is when is this going to happen? And how can I defeat him? I'm only one person."  
  
Buffy empathized with the poor kid. She knew exactly what was going through his mind -Why is it always me? Why can't I just be normal? Isn't there some way for me to escape? I don't want to endanger my friends, but I always do - WHY ME?  
  
"Harry, listen to me. I've been fighting demons for over seven years now. A big evil starts lurking about, and I have to fight it. It's my job. But I've learned the hard way that one person can make a huge difference. And you'll never be alone - your friends will always stick by you, no matter what. Your professors are here to support you. I'M here to help you. I know what you're going through because I've been there. More then once. But you have to understand. I have no idea why, but for this, YOU are the chosen one. I'm just here to guide you. I don't know when it's going to happen. I don't know how it's going to happen. But never doubt for a moment that it WILL happen, because it will sneak up on you when you least expect it. I don't want to scare you. I'm just preparing you for what you'll have to face. What you'll have to accept. What you'll have to be."  
  
"What DO I have to be?"  
  
"Who you are."  
  
"What if I don't know what I am? What if I get a little - scared?"  
  
Buffy smiled. "You're only just beginning Harry. Give it time before you fully understand."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Harry walked out feeling a little better about the whole situation. He put his arms around Hermione's waist and squeezed. Hermione smiled - she didn't know what else to do or say.  
  
Ron and Dawn walked down the hall, and Dawn started humming.  
  
"You're happy all of a sudden." Ron said. "Not that it's a bad thing."  
  
"Yeah. I'm feeling a little better about a lot of things. I'm not so scared anymore."  
  
Ron pulled her to him. "Good." He kissed her and she sighed.  
  
They continued walking and she continued humming.  
  
Ron laughed. "What ARE you humming?"  
  
"This song called Shelter by a Muggle singer, Sarah McLachlan. It just seems appropriate, that's all - the words I mean."  
  
"It sounds pretty. Would you sing it for me?"  
  
"Umm, no. I - I don't do singing. Hum, yes, whistle maybe, the occasional scale, sure. But I don't sing unless some demon is making me do it. Sorry."  
  
Ron pouted. "But Dawnie, please?"  
  
Dawn bit her lip, while Hermione whispered, "Don't give in!"  
  
"How about we strike a compromise. I have the c.d. with me - "  
  
"The what?"  
  
Dawn giggled. "Never mind, The point is, I have a way for you to listen to the song without me having to sing it."  
  
"But we want to hear you sing! Right Harry?"  
  
"Don't drag me into this." Ron elbowed him. "I mean, yeah, sure. Please Dawnie?"  
  
'Now they're both giving me the cute puppy eyes...Oh damnit.'  
  
"Ok! I give! I'll sing."  
  
Ron grinned. "That's my girl."  
  
"Oh, I'm your girl now, am I?"  
  
"Don't you want to be?" Ron looked hurt.  
  
"I'm kidding Ron! Of course, I'd love to be."  
  
Ron blushed.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Word spread around the Common Room like wildfire that Dawn was going to sing. Everyone was back from Hogsmeade, so she had a fairly large audience.  
  
Dawn sat in one of the armchairs tuning her guitar so that it didn't sound like a dead cat - she hadn't played it in a while.  
  
"I said I would sing for you, not the whole school." She said somewhat angrily as Ron approached her.  
  
"It's not the whole school. It's just the Gryffindors. Besides, if you sing as well as you hum, what are you so worried about?" He kissed her on the cheek and announced, "HEY! Quiet guys! She's going to start!"  
  
Dawn shook her head. "I am SO gonna get you for this."  
  
Ron smiled.  
  
Dawn took a deep breath and started playing the first few chords. Then, she started to sing.  
  
"They're crowded into the smallest spaces / While outside, all of nature cries / It's known to be cruel and unfair / But there is no place to hide  
  
Oh, I've seen a part of people that I never really wanted to share / Oh, I've seen a part of people that I never knew was there  
  
Shelter, give them shelter from the coming storm / Shelter, give them shelter from the coming storm  
  
I can't sleep, I'm haunted by their faces / The sadness in their eyes / It hurts so much to see them helpless / It makes me want to cry / But still there is so much left unanswered / For so many innocent lives / They closed the door and are letting nobody in / And only the strong will survive  
  
Shelter, give them shelter from the coming storm / Give them shelter, give them shelter from the coming storm  
  
I've seen the anger and I've seen all the dreams / Watched their existence torn apart at the seams / Though I may seem helpless / I will do all that I can do  
  
I've seen a part of people that I never really wanted to share / Oh, I've seen a part of people that I never knew was there  
  
Shelter, give them shelter from the coming storm / Give them shelter, give them shelter from the coming storm / Shelter, give them shelter from the coming storm / Give them shelter  
  
Give them shelter from the coming storm."  
  
The Common Room burst into applause.  
  
"Dawn, that was AMAZING! How could you say that you can't sing?" Ron said, disbelieving.  
  
Dawn blushed. "It was nothing, really. Please, don't praise me for it. I get all blushy and embarrassed."  
  
"But - " Dawn cut him off with a kiss. Ron sighed with defeat.  
  
"That's cheating, you dirty cheater."  
  
"I know, but I won, didn't I?" Dawn pat his shoulder and brought her guitar up to her room.  
  
"So Ron, how's life as a man in love?" Harry said grinning.  
  
"I'm NOT in love, you stupid git. You should be one to talk!"  
  
"What's this about love?" Hermione asked coming down the stairs.  
  
"Nothing! Nothing at all!" Ron took a breath. "Right Harry?"  
  
Harry had to stop himself from smirking.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Respect. That's what I expect from you - Respect for me, respect for each other, and respect for yourselves. The more you fight with each other, the more I will make you work with each other." Professor Summers said, pacing the front of the room. "I'm sorry if that bothers you, but let's get a few things straight. This class is not to be used as an excuse to maim each other. I find out that what you learn is being used outside of this room for fighting, and I will personally have you removed from this class. Two, sometimes, no matter how much you despise it, you have to ally with your enemies. You'd be surprised at how well that can actually turn out."  
  
The room was quiet except for a whispering in the corner from Malfoy. Harry was hoping he didn't plan to sabotage Professor Summer's lesson.  
  
"Excuse me, Professor?"  
  
"Yes Ginny, what is it?"  
  
"Where's Professor Morgan?"  
  
"She had a meeting with Professor Dumbledore. She can't be here today, but she will be back tomorrow."  
  
Ginny nodded.  
  
"Let's get started. Today, you are going to learn how to fight using your senses rather then your fists. You never want to be caught off guard. You always want to be the hunter, not the hunted, and sometimes that means relying on your ears and your instincts. Dawn, hit the lights."  
  
Dawn put out the only torch that was lit, leaving the class in pitch darkness.  
  
"I will turn out the lights after a brief demonstration. Are there any volunteers?"  
  
"I'll help." Malfoy spoke up, surprising everyone. Even in the dark, Harry and Ron eyed each other.  
  
Dawn moved from her spot by the door and carefully made her way over to them.  
  
"What is he doing?!" She hissed. "Buffy could wipe the floor with him in seconds!"  
  
"I think that's what he wants." Hermione said. "I mean, if she hurts him, he can go crying home to daddy and get her in some major trouble, just like Hagrid!"  
  
"Shit, shit, shit - and I planned this so well..."  
  
"What?" They asked her.  
  
Even in the dark, they could see her grin. "Faith's revenge for the last demonstration they did together. I was going to distract her, while Faith snuck up behind her. This completely screws everything up!"  
  
"Mr. Malfoy," Buffy said smirking, "I didn't expect anyone to actually respond. I was joking, really."  
  
"But, I want to try."  
  
"What is he DOING?!"  
  
"SHH!" Ron put his hand over Dawn's mouth.  
  
"Malfoy, this isn't a game. I could hurt you."  
  
"Nothing Madame Pomfrey can't fix." He smiled almost angelically, making Buffy all the more suspicious.  
  
"Alright. Try me. But I'm warning you now, don't complain if I hurt you. Remember, YOU wanted this."  
  
"Yes, I get it. Alright." Malfoy said exasperatedly. "Can we get on with this?"  
  
"Fine. Come at me."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Attack me!"  
  
Since Ron's hand was still firmly clamped over her mouth, Dawn slapped her forehead.  
  
Malfoy shrugged and attempted to aim a kick at Buffy's left side. Buffy saw this coming and used his weight against him, slamming him to the floor.  
  
Faith, seeing Buffy distracted, attacked her from behind. Buffy let out a surprised scream as her legs were kicked out from under her. Faith laughed and Buffy glared.  
  
"Someone, help me up! I can't move!"  
  
Buffy, still on the ground, sighed. "Dawn, hit the lights."  
  
Dawn yanked herself out of Ron's grasp and did as she was asked, bringing a tumult of laughter as the room filled with light.  
  
Buffy was still sitting on the floor, ignoring Faith's assisting hand. She was only pretending to be mad - she actually had to bite back laughter at the whole situation - she should have seen that coming from a mile away.  
  
Malfoy was still lying on the ground, complaining that he couldn't move.  
  
"I can't get up! I'm paralyzed!"  
  
"Draco, you most certainly are NOT paralyzed, believe me, I've paralyzed people before."  
  
"I think you broke my back."  
  
Buffy sighed. "Professor Morgan, please help Draco to the infirmary. Again."  
  
Faith picked Malfoy up onto his feet with barely any effort and practically dragged him out of the classroom, much to the amusement of the Gryffindors. The Slytherins, however, were in an uproar. Buffy decided to end class early.  
  
"Class is over early today. Your homework - get some rest. You all look exhausted."  
  
Ron walked over with his arm around Dawn's waist and Buffy had to bite back the urge to say something to him about it.  
  
'She's 17. You were 17 when you lost your virginity. You were in love; she's not. Oh God, please let Dawn still be a virgin. Breathe Buffy, breathe. They're probably just making out, not having sex...yet.'  
  
Buffy shook her head, banishing all thoughts of her little sister having sex from her mind. "So, is he always this melodramatic?"  
  
"Yeah. I give it two days, if you're lucky, before his dad shows up and tries to get you fired." Ron said, frowning.  
  
"I probably should have seen this coming, shouldn't I?"  
  
"Malfoy challenges the slayer, knowing very well that he's going to get his ass kicked. Why suffer the humiliation unless he has plans for sabotage?"  
  
Buffy put a hand to her temple as Faith walked in, obviously in a VERY bad mood.  
  
"If I EVER get my hands on him, I'll - "  
  
"Now Faith, let's not get all homicidal. We both know how well that turned out last time." Faith glared.  
  
"What happened?" Harry asked, already knowing the answer.  
  
"One Draco Malfoy insists that his back is injured, even against Madame Pomfrey's diagnosis that he's fine. He owled his father. Lucius Malfoy is coming tomorrow to speak with Professor Dumbledore and us."  
  
"Told you he would cry to daddy." Dawn shot Ron a look and he shut up.  
  
"Well, this is just dandy, let me tell you. Why don't you four go back to your Common Room. We'll let you know how things turn out."  
  
"Merry Christmas to us." Faith grumbled. Buffy put a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Let's get some sleep. We're going to need a clear head to get through this in the morning."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Funny how I went to bed to sleep." Buffy said with a wry smile.  
  
"Not much sleeping getting done here." Angel said with a sly grin.  
  
Buffy giggled and they rolled over so that they were on their sides facing each other. Angel ran his hand down her arms and side. She perched herself up on her elbow and sighed.  
  
"What's on your mind?"  
  
"I'm just worried about tomorrow. I'm happy here, you know, besides this whole prophecy and Dawn falling in love thing."  
  
"You fell in love at 17."  
  
"It was sixteen, and believe me, the thought has crossed my mind. I just don't want one little mistake to screw things up."  
  
"Dumbledore won't let Malfoy's father mess things up for you. You know that."  
  
"Yeah, but what if - "  
  
"Shh." Angel pressed a finger to her lips. "No talking."  
  
Buffy smiled and responded with a fierce kiss. They rolled over so that she was under him again and - well - you know...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Lucius sat in Dumbledore's office, his son at his side moaning about the pain in his back that just wouldn't go away.  
  
Professor Morgan blinked so that he wouldn't see her roll her eyes.  
  
The door opened and Professor Summers walked through.  
  
"Ah, Professor Summers, how are you this morning?" Professor Dumbledore asked.  
  
"A bit tired, but other then that, I'm ok."  
  
"Lucius, this is Professor Buffy Summers, your son's other Defense Against Muggle Attacks teacher." Buffy, biting her tongue, stuck out her hand. Lucius shook it reluctantly.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore, I wish to address this matter as fast as possible. I have an important meeting to attend at the Ministry."  
  
"Very well Lucius. Professor Summers, Mr. Malfoy is a bit concerned about your actions in yesterday's class. Please, explain what happened."  
  
"Professor, I have already gotten the full story from my son. She purposely fought a student, and then refused responsibility for his injury."  
  
"Excuse me, Mr. Malfoy, but I warned your son that he would, in all probability, be injured and to back down. He insisted on being a part of the demonstration, so I tried to be easy on him. Believe me, I could have done much worse."  
  
"Are you threatening him?"  
  
"Who was threatening anybody? I jokingly asked for volunteers, and the rest of the class seemed to understand that it was a joke. My sister was supposed to take the fall, not your son. He wanted it, I warned him, he persisted, I demonstrated. It's his fault for not heeding my warning."  
  
"The woman has a point Lucius. She did give him fair warning."  
  
"So that gives her a right? I'm sure I'm not the first person to say this, but the company you're hiring - "  
  
"Is for me to decide. I had both the Ministry of Magic and the Watcher's Council's approval for these cases. If you have a problem, I'm sure the Ministry will be happy to personally show you their credentials."  
  
"That doesn't change the fact that she injured my son!" Lucius said, standing up.  
  
"And what would you like me to do about it Lucius?" Dumbledore said, standing to face him.  
  
"It just so happens that I have the solution to our problems right here in my pocket." Lucius pulled out a piece of parchment. "Signed by each of the school governors suggesting that Professor Summers be suspended from her teaching position until further notice."  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
"Faith - "  
  
"No Buffy. You have got to be kidding me. Your son goes up against an able slayer and expects to come out on top? He very well knew what he was getting into. It's his own fault!"  
  
"That isn't for you to decide girl! It is the Ministry's decision and is in place until further notice. Dumbledore, I will be in contact with you soon. Draco, come."  
  
The two Malfoys walked out with identical smug looks on their faces.  
  
Dumbledore sighed. "Buffy, I am truly sorry about all this."  
  
Buffy shrugged. "It's ok. I still have Faith to teach for me, right? We can do our demonstrations and I can tutor the kids. I'll still be around."  
  
"So that's it?" Faith said. "You're both just going to sit back and let this happen?"  
  
Dumbledore fixed his gaze on Faith. "Right now, it is out of my hands."  
  
A/N: FINALLY! Oy...I'm done and I have a splitting headache, so I hope you liked this.  
  
REVIEW! 


	14. Pranks, Fights Gone

A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews.  
  
A BIG thanks to TigerBlak for clearing up that 7-3-0 thing. Here's what she said it meant - THANK YOU TIGERBLAK!!!  
  
In answer to your inquiry about the 730 thing...in Entertainment Weekly (I think), Joss mentions or it was speculated...whatever, that 730 is 365 which is two years...and two years following Graduation Day part 2 is when Buffy died trying to save Dawn from glory...so the whole Little Miss Muffet is a foreshadowing for Buffy's upcoming demise...and the new 7:30 may mean that in another two years, following that episode with Tara that you keep alluding to, is when either Buffy will die (again and probably for the final time) or when the show itself will end.  
  
Once again - THANKS!  
  
S.M - Writer's block is semi-gone...  
  
Sammy - Hmmm - get the Malfoys aye? That may be good later when...never mind  
  
Roswell428: Once again, thanks for the explanation. I suppose it does make more sense...eh, I tried :P  
  
Lynn - Go to Find. Type Lainamalthea into the search box. Click on her name when it comes up. The name of the story is "Fire Spirits."  
  
Oh, and a little note - If anyone has gone to my website, then they know that I was planning to kill someone off. I have decided who I am killing off. Clue - someone from the Buffyverse - NOT Buffy or Angel. Don't bite my head off just yet - you don't even know what I'm up to...heh heh : ) (For more spoilers, go to www.xanga.com/jacy)  
  
WARNING - Until the end, this chapter is, for the most part, all FUN, nothing very plot-worthy. I needed something light-hearted, because after this, things begin to get pretty dark.  
  
Quote of the Day: "Oh, ARE you a prefect, Percy?" "You've only mentioned it once - " "Or twice - " "A minute - " "All Summer." - Fred and George - by far my FAVORITE quote. I was laughing my ass off the first time I read it...ok, done now.  
  
Chapter Fourteen - Pranks, Fights - Gone  
  
"Every time we finally get out of the fray, Someone comes along and carries you away." From "Away", a poem by me : )  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"He did WHAT?!"  
  
Dawn stared at her sister. Buffy Summers, HER Buffy Summers, had been stared down and LOST? That just wasn't possible.  
  
"This isn't happening. We NEED a Muggle Defense teacher." Ron said angrily.  
  
"You still have Faith." Dawn wrinkled her nose.  
  
"I saw that!" Faith called. Dawn rolled her eyes.  
  
"Look, it's Christmas Eve. Don't worry about me not having my job. The castle is going to be empty in a few hours. What do you say we all camp out in the Common Room? Big slumber party on the professors - snacks and all."  
  
"Aren't you a little old for sleepovers?"  
  
"Twenty-one is not old, thank you very much Hermione."  
  
"You're not twenty-one yet." Dawn said.  
  
"Yes, and with the grace of God, I can skip my birthday and go straight to the day after."  
  
Dawn gave Buffy a wry smile.  
  
"C'mon Hermione. We're the only ones in the WHOLE dormitory. Please?" Harry gave her puppy eyes again.  
  
Hermione sighed, defeated. "Oh, alright. Sleepover, here I come."  
  
Harry put his arm around her and kissed her cheek. Hermione blushed as Ron made gagging noises behind Harry's back. Dawn giggled and only giggled more as Ron began tickling her. Buffy glanced up at Angel, as if to ask "Were we really that bad?"  
  
"YES." Willow, Giles, Xander, and Faith answered.  
  
Buffy and Angel glared as they laughed.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"This has to be the weirdest slumber party I've ever been to." Buffy said, smiling.  
  
"Oh, and why is that?"  
  
"Angel, come on. You couldn't have asked for a weirder group of people if you had walked into Demons-R-Us and given them a list."  
  
Angel arched an eyebrow.  
  
"Look - two slayers, an ex-vampire, a watcher, a mass of mystical energy, two Wiccans, an ex-vengeance demon, a guy who's been possessed by hyena spirits, and three wizards in training. Are you sure we're not still in Sunnydale?"  
  
"I already told you Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore."  
  
"Thank you Dorothy. Now shut up." Buffy said to Faith, throwing a pillow at her. Faith threw it back.  
  
"Oh bother."  
  
"Why the sudden Pooh reference, G?" Xander asked.  
  
"The two slayers seem to have started a pillow fight."  
  
Xander smiled maliciously and whispered something to Angel. Angel smiled evilly and whispered the same thing to Ron. Ron grinned.  
  
The three of them stood, and Xander suddenly announced -  
  
"PILLOW FIGHT!!!"  
  
The room burst into fits of laughter and feathers as Ron and Harry ganged up on Buffy.  
  
Dawn, who saw Ron attacking her sister, grabbed Hermione's arm and they, in turn, tried to get their boyfriends to back off.  
  
Ten minutes later, the fight was boys versus girls, and the guys were winning.  
  
Buffy, knowing they were defeated, looked at Giles, and said, "We surrender! We surrender! Now, GET THE OLD GUY!"  
  
Every one of them charged Giles, Buffy and Xander in the lead. Giles fell off his chair in a mass of pillows. The rest of them fell to the floor laughing hysterically. Buffy gave Xander a high five.  
  
"OK," Buffy said, trying to catch her breath, "Enough...pillows...for tonight." She burst into another fit of giggles as Giles haphazardly stood up and adjusted his clothing and lopsided glasses. He glared in the most Ripper-like way he could manage.  
  
"I HATE you all."  
  
They all laughed even harder.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Buffy woke up the next morning pleasantly curled up in Angel's arms. They fell asleep on the floor next to the fire. He looked over at Dawn and couldn't help but smile. Ron's arm was draped over her side. She was nuzzled into his chest.  
  
Buffy knew as soon as she saw her - Her little sister was in love.  
  
Buffy felt Angel kiss the top of her head. "Morning sunshine." She said brightly.  
  
"Morning."  
  
Buffy sat up carefully and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders. Angel twined his hands in hers and noticed she wasn't wearing her engagement ring.  
  
"You're going to have to tell them some time."  
  
Buffy sighed. " I know. I just wanted it to be our little secret for a while. I'll tell them today." She kissed him. "I promise." She kept kissing him as she slipped the ring from a chain around her neck onto her finger.  
  
"Yuck - People, I just woke up. This is SO not something I want to - " Dawn stopped when she saw the ring on Buffy's finger. "Oh my god. Is that an engagement ring?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Oh my - OH MY GOD!" Dawn squealed as she hugged her sister. "Merry Christmas - since when?"  
  
"Halloween."  
  
"And you never told me?"  
  
"I was a bit busy worrying about prophecies and keeping my job."  
  
"Doesn't matter - Willow! Xander! Wake up!"  
  
"Huh, wha, huh? Where's the fire?" Xander asked, rubbing his eyes.  
  
"Buffy and Angel are getting MARRIED!"  
  
"WHAT?!" He yelled.  
  
"Oh my gosh - Buffy!" Willow squealed as she gave Buffy a hug.  
  
In about five minutes, the rest of the room was roused and congratulation Buffy and Angel.  
  
"OK, enough congratulating me and Dead boy over here - Ah!" She screeched as Angel poked her. "Let's get to the presents!"  
  
Dawn tapped Ron on the shoulder and as he spun around, she kissed him.  
  
"Mmm, Harry Christmas to you too."  
  
Dawn smiled and handed him a long, narrow box. "This is for you. It's from the three of us. We all chipped in to get it for you. I knew how much you wanted it - Harry told me. I just wanted this to be special."  
  
Ron opened the box, already knowing what it was - a Firebolt 007, the newest (and most expensive), model.  
  
"Oh my - Dawn, this is so expensive. How could you afford this?"  
  
"I already told you, there were three of us. Buffy chipped in too."  
  
"Wow, this makes my gifts look pretty shitty."  
  
"Hey." She put a hand on his cheek and kissed him. "Don't think like that. Besides, you had to but three gifts. We only had to buy one."  
  
Ron smiled. "Thanks."  
  
"Hey, thanks Ron!" Harry opened up his gift and found refills for his Broomstick Cleaning Kit - he had been running low on supplies. Harry arched an eyebrow and motioned to the box on the couch.  
  
"This is for you." He handed Dawn the box. "Not as amazing as a broomstick, but..." He bit his lip as Dawn ripped the paper. She opened the box and gasped.  
  
"Oh wow. Ron, it's beautiful."  
  
Inside was a gold unicorn on a black chord. There was a tiny diamond on the tip of the horn.  
  
"Ron, it's perfect. I love it. Help me put it on." He tied the chord around her neck and she smiled. "Thank you." She kissed him again.  
  
Harry and Hermione exchanged gifts at the same time. Hermione bought Harry a jade green phoenix pendant on a brown chord. He smiled as he put it on.  
  
Hermione had to blink twice to makes sure she wasn't seeing things. Inside her box was a silver heart pendant with a gold vine going around it and a small emerald in the center. It was suspended on a silver chain.  
  
"Harry - this is - how could you - "  
  
"Don't ask. Just say thank you."  
  
Hermione pulled him into a fierce kiss. "Thank you." She whispered.  
  
"Any time." He said blushing.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The Great Hall was beautiful. Even though the feeling of astonishment Buffy had when she first walked into the Hall Christmas morning three days before had worn off, she still couldn't stop looking at the trees - gorgeous, tall pine trees glistening with gold ornaments and what looked like snow. Dawn ran over to Buffy not much unlike a little girl, bouncing up and down.  
  
"It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing!" She said, fast and enthusiastic.  
  
"Yes it is." Buffy said, grinning. She looked at Xander and grinned even wider. Buffy pulled Dawn over and whispered something to her. Dawn grinned mischievously. Giles noticed and shook his head.  
  
"Hey Xand - wanna go outside?" Dawn asked.  
  
"It's freezing!"  
  
"Yeah, but it's snowing! C'mon - it'll be fun. We never see snow in Cali - well, except for that one time - please?"  
  
Xander looked out the window and back to Dawn. "Fine."  
  
Dawn jumped and clapped her hands twice. "Uh, 'Mione, C'mon, let's go get our coats." She grabbed Hermione's arm and walked away whispering, while Buffy pulled Willow and Faith aside and whispered something to them. They both smiled and called Tara and Anya over.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Twenty minutes and two clothing hunts later, ("Ron, have you seen my scarf?" "No, have you seen my other glove?") "those meddling kids" as Giles dubbed them, though Buffy preferred The Terrible Trio and the Gang of Scoobies, stood outside near Hagrid's hut.  
  
"Is it me, or are the ladies up to something?" Xander asked Angel.  
  
"Oh, they're up to something alright. Although I have no idea - " Angel stopped as he got hit in the chest with a snowball.  
  
And the girls all disappeared.  
  
"Do I sense a challenge?" Xander said to the air.  
  
"Could be." Hermione answered.  
  
"Ready - " Faith whispered.  
  
"Aim -" Buffy whispered.  
  
"FIRE!" Dawn screamed, and the guys were bombarded by snowballs.  
  
It didn't take long for them to fight back. Buffy was hit in the back by a snowball thrown by Ron. Dawn saw this and pounced on him, holding his wrists to keep him pinned to the ground.  
  
"Ooh, was this all a trick so that you could seduce me?"  
  
"Keep dreaming Weasly." Dawn screamed as Ron rolled and pinned her under him.  
  
"Should have seen that coming, Summers."  
  
"Let me answer that with a kiss." Dawn kissed him and Ron was shocked to feel her tongue in his mouth. He relaxed for a second and let go of her wrists -  
  
Dawn rolled over and off him and Ron was covered in a ton of snow falling off of Hagrid's roof, right next to Harry.  
  
Everyone was laughing as Hermione gave Dawn a high five.  
  
Buffy had put Angel in a similar situation. She had him pinned against a tree and a pile of snow fell off of a branch onto his head, thanks to Faith.  
  
Tara and Anya distracted Xander while Willow pounced on his back. He fell face first into the snow.  
  
The girls all stood in a group, laughing at their "men" on the ground.  
  
"Do you surrender?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yes - now help me up." Buffy offered Xander her hand, just to be pulled down right next to him. She yelped and threw snow at him. "Jerk!"  
  
"Oh, you know you love it."  
  
She glared and gave him a hand as they both stood up.  
  
"THAT'S for winning the pillow fight." Buffy said.  
  
"Alright - now, we're even." Xander said, grinning.  
  
Harry stood up, shaking snow out of his hair.  
  
"Awe, poor Harry." He glared at Hermione who gave him a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Where's Ron?" Harry asked.  
  
"Probably still over by Hagrid's hut." Hermione answered.  
  
"I'll get him!" Dawn announced. She skipped over to Hagrid's hut -  
  
And let out a shrill scream.  
  
Hearing her, Buffy ran over.  
  
Dawn was gone.  
  
All that was left was a note.  
  
Slayer,  
  
If you want to see your sister again, I'd advise you to find her before I get her to my master. I have Potter's friend as well. If you ever want to see them again, I also highly advise you not to come looking after the Dark Lord gets a hold of them.  
  
--Wormtail 


	15. Bleed Through

A/N: Nothing to say today. This chapter is a little darker then usual. Remember, this is rated R for a reason, and will probably begin to earn that rating, if not now, then VERY soon.  
  
Oh yeah! Look for my songfic " Don't Need to Say It." It's H/Hr : ) Also, don't forget to go to my website, www.xanga.com/jacy for future chapter spoilers.  
  
Thanks for reading! :)  
  
Chapter Fifteen - Bleed Through  
  
On a different day, / If I was safe in my own skin, / Then I wouldn't be / Lost and so frightened / But this is today / And I'm lost in my own skin / And I'm so lonely I don't even want to be with myself anymore  
  
I just want to feel / Safe in my own skin / I just want to be / Happy again  
  
--Dido - "Honestly OK"  
  
Buffy, Harry, and Hermione went to Dumbledore's office as soon as Buffy found the note. The rest followed shortly after.  
  
Harry was nervously cracking his knuckles. Hermione had her arm around him and was following a very angry, pacing Buffy with her eyes.  
  
"Giles, find a loophole in this slayers can't kill people rule."  
  
"Buffy, you know better then anyone, there IS no loophole."  
  
"Well find one! Or - give me something I can pummel."  
  
"I'm up for a challenge."  
  
Buffy stared at Faith. "You - you're serious."  
  
"Sure. Fighting will get your mind off of this shit for a while. C'mon."  
  
"I think Faith has a point. Why don't you go train for a while?" Giles said.  
  
Buffy took a deep breath and jumped off of the chair she had finally settled into. She followed them out the door. Unbeknownst to them, Xander and Harry followed.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Now that Buffy is gone, there are several things we need to discuss. Possibilities for keeping Dawn alive and Voldemort out of power." Giles said grimly.  
  
"Possibilities? What kind of possibilities?" Angel asked.  
  
Willow opened the same book with the Ritual of Endowment in it to the last page, and said, "A binding spell. We can bind the essence of the key to Dawn so that when Voldemort tries to draw her blood, he won't get any power."  
  
"But is that possible without harming her?" Angel asked.  
  
"Yes. There are two slight problems though - the power lies within a stone that has to somehow come in contact with either Dawn or her blood."  
  
"Why is that a problem?" Anya asked.  
  
Willow stared at her blankly.  
  
"I mean, Buffy's blood is the same as Dawn's blood. Why don't you just ask her?"  
  
"Good lord - she's right." Giles said, disbelieving.  
  
"Why didn't I think of that," Willow said, "because that's where our second problem comes in. Because Buffy gave her life for Dawn, she and Dawn are connected by more then blood. Their very - I don't know what else to call it - souls are connected. If we bind the source of Dawn's power, we bind the source of Buffy's power."  
  
"So you're saying that Buffy w-won't have her slayer strength?" Tara asked.  
  
Willow nodded. "For the most part, yes. There are strengths that she has naturally that won't go away - anything she's accelerated because of training, for example. It may be harder for her to hone and fight though."  
  
"Which could be a problem with the pending apocalypse." Giles said rubbing his eyes.  
  
Angel shook his head. "So, what are we going to do?"  
  
"We ask Buffy for her consent. That's all we can do. For now." Giles said sighing.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Buffy leaned against the wall taking a few deep breaths. The whole time Giles and Willow were explaining the situation to her, she was sparring and knife-throwing with Faith.  
  
"So you're saying that if we do this, I'll lose my slaying abilities? Permanently?"  
  
Giles shook his head. "Only until the stone is destroyed. The stone itself will be bound to you and Dawn, so only either of you can destroy it."  
  
"How convenient." Buffy said, sighing. "This is so frustrating! Damnit!" Buffy kicked the wall.  
  
"Buffy - "  
  
"No! No Angel! I can't keep doing this! I can't..." Buffy swayed on her feet. "I can't..." Her voice faded and she stumbled a little.  
  
"Buffy?"  
  
Their voices were fading.  
  
"Buffy!"  
  
A wave of dizziness came over her and everything went black.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Buffy was sitting under a large willow tree next to a lake. She looked into the water, but the reflection she saw wasn't hers.  
  
It was Dawn's.  
  
"You're not supposed to be here." Dawn said sitting next to her.  
  
"I know. There's something I'm supposed to be doing."  
  
"Oh yeah. Miles to go before you sleep."  
  
"You sound like Faith."  
  
Dawn grimaced, a look of pain on her face.  
  
"Dawnie?"  
  
Dawn lifted up the white peasant blouse she was wearing to reveal a cut on her abdomen, the same place that her scars were.  
  
"He's coming. Buffy, you can't let him get the key."  
  
"Dawnie, I can't."  
  
"You can. Your powers will be bound, but you'll still be the slayer. All you have to do is depend on Faith."  
  
Buffy grinned sadly at Dawn's play on words. She looked back into the water and saw her own reflection staring back at her. Dawn was standing behind her. She put a hand on Buffy's cheek.  
  
"Return."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Buffy woke up in Angel's arms.  
  
"Mmmm..." She groaned groggily.  
  
"Giles! She's awake!" Angel said, and turned to Buffy. "Are you alright?"  
  
Buffy nodded and said quietly, "I have to save her, Angel. Tell Willow to do the binding spell."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
Buffy nodded and stood up, a little shaky on her feet.  
  
"I'm sure. He can't get her power. She has to live.  
  
For me."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Willow sat on the snow-covered grass next to the lake. Xander handed her the supplies for the binding spell. Buffy sat cross-legged next to her.  
  
"Buffy, I need you to relax. I want you to close your eyes and listen to my voice."  
  
Buffy did as she was asked.  
  
"I'm going to put you to sleep. The only time you'll feel anything is after the binding is done."  
  
Buffy nodded.  
  
Harry, who was standing close by, put a spell on Buffy so she would sleep. She slumped and was out cold.  
  
Willow took a deep breath and opened the book. She picked up the piece of black chord she was using as a bookmark and began the spell. As she spoke, she put seven knots in the chord.  
  
"Gods of old, I implore thee. Goddesses of the earth, come to use now. Bind the essence of the key to the dawn and the slayer. Bind, bind, bound."  
  
Willow put down the chord and picked up the stone. She put the stone in Buffy's palm. She then cut Buffy's palm above and below where the stone lay. She closed her palm into a fist.  
  
"May the power of blood seal the binding of souls."  
  
She opened Buffy's palm and strung the stone on the chord. She tied three knots as she said, "Bind, bind, bound."  
  
Buffy felt a sharp pain in her chest. Even in her sleep, she cringed.  
  
Willow put the chord around Buffy's neck and put her hand over Buffy's heart.  
  
"Return."  
  
Buffy's eyes fluttered open. Xander knelt down next to her.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"I think so. I feel weird. Tied down almost." Buffy shook her head and held the stone in her hand. "God, I hope this works."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Dawn woke up feeling groggy and disoriented. She felt as if her body was being tied down by something. Her entire being felt heavy and she had a splitting headache.  
  
That's when she remembered the dream and the binding spell Buffy was going to do. She could only think that what she was feeling was a result of that spell.  
  
Dawn went to rub her eyes, but she found her arms tied tightly behind her.  
  
"Oh, fuck me." She said, struggling.  
  
"This isn't the time nor the place for that sweetheart, but I'm glad you're awake."  
  
"Ron!" Dawn said, almost too happily, continuing to struggle. "This isn't the time to joke. We need to get out of here. If I could just untie this goddamn rope."  
  
"I wouldn't even try. It's not worth the struggle. You still won't get away, not once my master comes."  
  
"Pettigrew!" Ron yelled through clenched teeth. "You lying, conniving piece of shit!"  
  
"Oh, is that any way to talk to the person who holds your life in his hands?"  
  
"Fuck you asshole!"  
  
"Ron," Dawn hissed, "cursing your brains out won't do us any good."  
  
"You should listen to your girlfriend Weasly. She knows what she's talking about."  
  
Dawn's face tuned deathly pale when she heard that voice.  
  
The person stepped out of the shadows and Dawn froze. She couldn't move. She couldn't think.  
  
"Hello Dawn."  
  
Dawn took a few shallow, panicked breaths.  
  
Ron looked from the person to Dawn and back again. One word escaped his lips and Dawn's slight nod was enough to confirm his suspicions - and his worry.  
  
"Glory."  
  
"In the flesh." Glory smiled.  
  
"Well - almost."  
  
A/N: HAHAHAHAHAH! Bet you didn't expect THAT one, eh? Cliffhanger! Cliffhanger! ::dodges various fruits, vegetables, curses, and sharp objects thrown at her:: 


	16. Breaking Through

A/N: I'm sorry this chapter is a bit short. My muse was absent while I wrote it, so I'm eternally sorry if it sucks.  
  
Fastpilot: LoL. I love fluff - hence, a fluffy chapter.  
  
TigerBlak: Awe ::blushes:: Thanks - it definitely says something if I'm compared to Ms. Rowling...  
  
These updates are coming faster then usual. I'll probably slow down again after Monday, though. Remember to visit www.xanga.com/jacy for spoilers!  
  
Oh, and a special message to my little e-mail flamer friend: If you're getting so tired of this, then just STOP READING IT! You don't like it, tough shit, cuz I'm finishing this whether or not YOU like it.  
  
Thank you, have a good day! :) ::pops another marshmallow in her mouth::  
  
To those of you who WANT to read this because you LIKE this story, I promise, it WILL NOT be what you may expect.  
  
Chapter Sixteen - Breaking Through  
  
Pressed up against the glass / I found myself wanting sympathy / But to be consumed again / Oh I know would be the death of me.  
  
And there is a love that's inherently given / A kind of blindness offered to deceive / And in that light of forbidden joy / Oh I know I won't receive it.  
  
When all we wanted was the dream / To have and to hold / That precious little thing / Like every generation yields / The new born hope unjaded by the years.  
  
--"Wait" - Sarah McLachlan  
  
Glory walked over to Dawn and knelt down next to her. Ron struggled against his bonds - he wanted desperately to help her.  
  
Because Dawn was visibly terrified.  
  
Glory laughed, a high-pitched, painful sound -  
  
And turned into Voldemort.  
  
Dawn blinked, confused, and Ron voiced his own confusion by saying, "What the hell?!"  
  
"It's called glamour Mr. Weasly. I have to incite fear somehow."  
  
Ron bellowed a stream of curses that made Dawn flinch.  
  
"Now now, what kind of language is that?"  
  
Ron glared. Voldemort moved to stand in front of Dawn.  
  
"Well, well, well, what do you know? I have the key."  
  
Dawn struggled against the ropes on her wrists.  
  
Voldemort pulled a knife from his cloak. Dawn tried to move away, but was unsuccessful. He took two swipes at her abdomen. Dawn cringed and tried to stop herself from crying out when she saw her blood touch the ground because she knew what happened next.  
  
"Ohgodohgodohgodoh - "  
  
Suddenly, Pettigrew screamed.  
  
"I though you said the blood of the key was the power!" Voldemort yelled.  
  
"It is master! I swear it is!"  
  
"Liar! Crucio!"  
  
Pettigrew writhed in pain.  
  
"You!" Voldemort turned to Dawn.  
  
"Dawnie - "  
  
"Shut up Ron!"  
  
Something was happening, she knew it. Something big was coming. The ground seemed to shake beneath them.  
  
Voldemort screamed. He and Pettigrew disappeared.  
  
"Yes!" Dawn pulled her left hand free, taking a few deep breaths. She winced at the pain moving brought her.  
  
Dawn carefully reached behind her and untied her right hand, and then Ron. He stood up and moved his arms, completely stiff from being in the same position for so long.  
  
Dawn leaned back against the tree they had been tied to. Ron came up to her and put his hands on her cheeks.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
Nodding brought another wave of dizziness, followed by another stabbing pain in her stomach.  
  
"Oh yeah, I'm great. Of course, if I try to move away from this tree, I'll probably collapse." She looked around. "Where are we anyways?"  
  
Ron put his arms around her shoulders and helped her walk. "I don't know. I think we're in the Forbidden Forest somewhere."  
  
"Buffy!" Dawn screamed.  
  
She received no answer.  
  
"Damnit!" Dawn kicked a fallen tree branch and was met with another dizzy spell. She looked at Ron. "What are we going to do?"  
  
Ron picked her up. "I am going to carry you and we are going to find your sister."  
  
"I can walk, thank you very much - OW!"  
  
Ron had only lightly touched her abdomen. He arched an eyebrow and she sighed.  
  
"Lead the way."  
  
"Thank you." She leaned her head on his shoulder and let him carry her away.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Buffy was pacing the Gryffindor Common Room. It had been two days, and there was still no sign of Ron or Dawn.  
  
And to make matters worse, the students were returning to school for classes the next day.  
  
An owl flew in the window and landed on the edge if the couch. She hooted.  
  
"Not now Iris."  
  
Iris nipped lightly at Buffy's shirt.  
  
"Ugh, what is - "  
  
She cut herself off when she saw a letter attached to Iris' leg. Buffy practically tore the letter off and read it. Iris hooted, annoyed, and flew off.  
  
Buffy read the letter again aloud to herself.  
  
Buffy,  
  
Remind me to tell Dumbledore that he has the smartest owl alive. I don't know how Iris found us, but she did.  
  
Dawn isn't doing so well. I think she has a cold, but the cuts on her stomach aren't helping. We've been wandering and we're tired. We're in the Forbidden Forest - somewhere. Maybe Iris can show you? Because we have no idea where we are.  
  
-Ron  
  
P.S. Dawn said to say that the binding spell worked.  
  
Buffy practically ran to Dumbledore's office and stumbled through the door.  
  
"They're in the Forbidden Forest!"  
  
She stopped. "I'm sorry Professor. I didn't realize you were in a meeting."  
  
"Not at all. I was just discussing with Professor Snape where he thinks Voldemort might have taken Ron and Dawn - the Forbidden Forest you say?"  
  
"I got a letter from Ron. It seems Iris found them."  
  
Iris was perched on Dumbledore's desk and he pet her. "That's my girl. So, do you want to arrange a search party?"  
  
"Yes. I'll go get Xander and Willow."  
  
"Forgive me," Snape began, "Professor, but - are you sure that you should leave this job in the hands of a twenty year old girl and her friends?"  
  
Dumbledore glanced at Buffy who was struggling to keep her temper in check.  
  
"Forgive ME, Professor Snape, but I think you underestimate me. I'm the slayer. I've fought more demons then you could imagine in the course of a year, and I've been doing this for almost seven. My friends have been with me every step of the way, and they have proved on more then one occasion that they are fully capable.  
  
"Now, you can help me, or you can get out of my way."  
  
The two glared at each other and Snape stepped aside. Buffy walked out and closed the door behind her.  
  
Dumbledore chuckled. "She's a brazen one, isn't she Severus?"  
  
"Yes, well, I just hope that brazen nature doesn't get out students killed."  
  
"Buffy has saved the world, multiple times in fact. What's rescuing two students compared to that?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Dawn leaned her back against a tree. She sneezed.  
  
"Ow - Oh, that hurts."  
  
"How's the stomach?" Ron asked.  
  
Dawn glanced down. "Been better." She leaned her head back. "You know what I wish?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I wish that I had listened to Buffy. I wish that I was still the innocent little teenager I thought I was before I found out I was the key. I wish I was mommy's little girl again, the kid with all the dreams she wanted to come true. I want that. I wish I could have that. I hated being on the outside all the time, looking in. I thought Buffy had it easy. But I was wrong. God, was I ever wrong. I'll be the death of me yet."  
  
"Dawn." Ron put his hand on her arm. He had never heard her talk like this about her past. In fact, she usually changed the subject whenever he tried to break through that glass shell she had created around herself. It seemed like the glass was beginning to shatter now.  
  
Dawn shook her head and sniffled. There was a long period of silence before Ron said, "They're not going to find us, are they?"  
  
"Hey." Dawn put a hand on his cheek and kissed him. "They're going to find us. They WILL find us. Besides, I'm supposed to be the hopeless one here. You're supposed to be sympathizing with me."  
  
Ron laughed and kissed her again. Dawn pulled away coughing. She groaned. "Ow....Ugh, I hope Buffy gets here soon so Pomfrey can fix me up. I feel like shit."  
  
"You don't look so great either."  
  
"Thanks a lot!" Dawn punched his arm and they both laughed.  
  
Dawn heard a twig snap and she whipped her head around. "What was that?"  
  
*Snap*  
  
"Whatever it is, there's more then one."  
  
*Snap*  
  
"Stay here." Ron walked around the tree and followed the sound.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Ouch! Xander, that was my foot!"  
  
"Willow, you elbowed me."  
  
"Sorry Xand."  
  
"Will you two please keep it down? I heard something."  
  
Buffy got into a fighting stance. "Who's there?"  
  
"Yeah, because the big bad wolf will always answer the little piggies before he jumps out and kills them."  
  
"Xander! Shush!"  
  
"Buffy?" Buffy saw that the person in the shadows was actually Ron.  
  
"Ron?"  
  
"Yeah - Dawn's here too."  
  
"Xander, Will, they're over there."  
  
Buffy ran over to Dawn and hugged her.  
  
"Ow! Watch the abs."  
  
Buffy took a look at the wounds. "If I EVER get my hands on Voldemort and his cronies, I'm going to make Hiroshima look like child's play."  
  
Xander gulped. "This is why we never mess with a slayer."  
  
"C'mon Dawnie." Buffy put an arm around Dawn's shoulder and helped her stand. The five of them walked towards the castle.  
  
A rat crept out from underneath the bushes and followed close behind them. Nobody noticed him. 


	17. Fate

A/N: Umm - yeah. Things are gonna REALLY start to heat up. After the end of this chapter, expect battles, battles, and more battles, with just a short break when one of the characters is killed...don't ask, I'm not telling.  
  
Sammy: This soon enough for ya? : P  
  
Chapter Seventeen - Fate  
  
What ravages of spirit / Conjured this temptuous rage / Created you a monster / Broken by the rules of love / And fate has lead you through it / You do what you have to do / And fate has led you through it / You do what you have to do  
  
--"Do What You Have to Do" - Sarah McLachlan  
  
"Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday dear Buffy. Happy Birthday to you." Buffy smiled to the chorus of applause and whoops as she closed her eyes and blew out the candles.  
  
"What'd ya wish for?"  
  
"You know the rules Dawn - I can't tell you, or it won't come true." Dawn narrowed her eyes.  
  
Gryffindor decided to throw Professor Summers a HUGE Birthday bash in their Common Room. Dean created a banner that flashed "Happy Birthday Buffy" in maroon and gold.  
  
"Presents! Time for presents!"  
  
"Dawn, you're more excited about this then me."  
  
"Do you want them or not?"  
  
"Bring on the gifts."  
  
Dawn shook her head. "This is from me. I saw it in the Magic Box before we left and I had to buy it - well, I begged Anya, but I still bought it."  
  
Buffy opened the box to reveal a small rose quartz on a silver ring. Her name was engraved on the side.  
  
"Wow - Dawn, it's beautiful."  
  
"And I have the matching one, see?" Dawn held up her right thumb.  
  
"Thank you." Buffy hugged her.  
  
"Me next! Me next!" Willow said jumping up and down.  
  
"Ok Will."  
  
Willow pulled a VERY large, flat, square-shaped - thing - with a pink ribbon around it from behind the couch.  
  
"This is from all of us. We all chipped in and made this for you. It took a while and some money, so don't expect anything else missy." Willow said, shaking her finger.  
  
"The suspense is killing me. Let me see already!"  
  
Willow and Xander turned the gift around and said "Ta da!"  
  
It turned out to be a picture frame with a collage of pictures and birthday wishes from all of them - Buffy, Willow, and Xander at the Sunnydale High library, Faith and Buffy at the Bronze, Angel and Buffy at the prom, Giles, Joyce, Dawn, Tara, and Anya in Buffy's living room. The centerpiece was a group picture they had taken the day they all arrived at Hogwarts right in front of the castle. Buffy felt tears well up in her eyes and she abruptly brushed them away.  
  
"It's - I - " She didn't know what to say, so she pulled Willow into a hug. It ended up being a huge Scooby group hug, which was met by another round of "Awes" from the surrounding Gryffindors.  
  
"Alright, enough mushy stuff." Buffy said. "It's time to party!"  
  
As if on cue, all of the torches went out.  
  
"Or, not."  
  
"Buffy, have you ever considered NOT celebrating your birthday?" Xander asked.  
  
"The thought has crossed my mind. I can't see a thing. Someone help me out."  
  
Harry muttered, "Lumos," and his wand filled a corner of the room with light. Some of the other students followed.  
  
"Thank you." Buffy sighed. "Alright - Dawn, stay here. I'm gonna go check this out."  
  
She grabbed Xander's arm and motioned for he and Willow to follow.  
  
"Here we are again. The three original Scoobies." Xander said as they began walking the halls.  
  
"Looks like all the lights are out everywhere. Can't they just light the torches again?"  
  
"Have you seen the size of this castle?" Xander asked  
  
"Did you miss the part about the wizards?" Willow retorted.  
  
"Good point- ow!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I stubbed my toe."  
  
"I wish I could see." Buffy said frustrated.  
  
Suddenly, the hallway filled with light.  
  
"Let there be light." Xander said.  
  
Buffy was suddenly attacked from behind. She went to throw the guy off her back, but was having difficulty.  
  
"A little help here." Xander hit the guy and Buffy was able to roll out from under him. She had a stake at the ready when she saw the guy's face.  
  
"Spike!"  
  
"Bloody hell - do you mind reminding me why I let you torture me?"  
  
"Do you mind reminding me why I don't stake you?"  
  
"Chip in the head?"  
  
"I'll have Xander do it."  
  
"You barely put up a fight slayer. I think you're going soft."  
  
Buffy threw the stake and it lodged itself into the wall behind him.  
  
"Come again?"  
  
"Ok, I underestimated you. You know, for a bound slayer, you sure have a rather pesky amount of that bloody superstrength."  
  
"How the hell do you know about the binding spell?"  
  
"The little bit."  
  
Buffy scowled.  
  
"I hate to break up this lovely reunion but shouldn't we be getting back?" Xander asked.  
  
"Yeah." Buffy turned to Spike and pulled the stake from the wall. "One wrong move and you're dust. C'mon."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I didn't think you'd mind."  
  
"Didn't think I'd mind? Dawn, Spike is in love with me. I'm marrying Angel. Plus, he is just an added difficulty I don't need to deal with."  
  
"Sorry. I told him about the binding because he asked about it. He said he felt some weird disturbance with my aura or something, so I told him why. And he wanted to come protect you."  
  
Buffy sighed. "Well he's here - wait a sec? Where'd he go?" Buffy and Dawn searched the room, but came up with nothing.  
  
"He's gone." Dawn said.  
  
Buffy shook his head. "Leave it to Spike. All right, come on. Let's get back to the Common Room."  
  
Neither of them ever noticed the letter addressed to Buffy on her desk.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Spike made his way to the front steps. He did his job. And now it was time to leave.  
  
Spike turned around and faced the doors.  
  
"Happy Birthday slayer. Hope you live to see the next one."  
  
He spun around and walked off.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Buffy walked back from the Common Room giddy from the few glasses of champagne she had - the bottle was a gift from Giles.  
  
"So how was your birthday?" Angel asked her.  
  
"A little slow." She slid her hand up the back of his shirt. "But it'll pick up."  
  
"I hope that's not the champagne talking."  
  
Buffy used her other hand to undo his belt buckle. "Let's find out." Buffy kissed him, slow at first, but growing with passion as they went on. Angel fumbled for the doorknob to their office. They finally got it open and locked it behind them.  
  
Buffy couldn't keep her hands off of Angel. As far as she was concerned, this was the best gift he could ever give her. All she wanted was him.  
  
Buffy pulled away momentarily to take a breath. "I love you. Angel, I love you so much."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
"Then kiss me." She pulled his mouth to hers and instead of moving towards the door to their bedroom, they banged into the desk. Spike's letter slid to the floor unnoticed.  
  
"Do you plan on ravaging me right here?"  
  
"Sounds like a plan." Angel pulled her to him, but Buffy pulled away and put a finger to his lips.  
  
"Bedroom. Someone could walk in on us here."  
  
Keeping her finger on his lips, they made their way to their bedroom. When they were finally inside, Angel pulled Buffy to him while his hands roamed elsewhere. Buffy was barely able to kick the door shut behind them.  
  
(~* A/N: I'll be ATTEMPTING to write the NC-17 version of this scene and the one from Halloween. I'll let you know whether or not I've been successful. I'm not very good at it. If I don't like it, it won't go up. *~)  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The next morning was like hell and a half. Buffy woke up after her alarm and Angel was twenty minutes late to his first class of the day with the Ravenclaw fifth years. He couldn't even think up a plausible excuse for walking in so late.  
  
"I - " He sighed and Giles smirked.  
  
"Woke up late?" Giles said smiling.  
  
Angel gave him a curt glare and Giles continued with his lesson on the First Slayer, satisfied that he had successfully pissed Angel off.  
  
~* Meanwhile, in Muggle Defense Class *~  
  
"No Sarah, you're dropping your shoulder again." Faith scolded a Hufflepuff sixth year. "Watch." She guided Sarah's arm in a punch that could probably break someone's jaw.  
  
"Now, try AGAIN." Sarah did, and did it right.  
  
"Good! Now go work with - " Faith cut herself short when she felt the ground shake.  
  
"Did you guys feel that?"  
  
Suddenly, it felt like the whole castle was shaking.  
  
"Everybody, near the walls and the doorways! Go!"  
  
The students scrambled to find a "safe" spot.  
  
"Faith!" Buffy ran into the dungeons and over to Faith who was standing near the far wall.  
  
"What the hell is going on B?"  
  
"Earthquakes - never good. I've only experienced two, and they both signaled an apocalypse."  
  
"Just fucking perfect!" Faith screamed.  
  
"We need to get the students out of here and to the Great Hall. Dumbledore wants them all in the same room." Willow said, coming into the room.  
  
"Alright. Will, take the kids to the Great Hall. Do a head count as soon as you get up there - there's forty of them. Kids, STAY TOGETHER. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT go wandering off. Faith, you're with me."  
  
"Got it."  
  
As soon as Faith and Buffy stepped into the hallway, the earthquake stopped. There was silence throughout the whole castle.  
  
"I think it's over." Faith said.  
  
"No. This is the calm before the storm."  
  
That's when Buffy noticed the Death Eaters on the front lawn.  
  
"Oh my god." Faith said, looking out.  
  
Buffy's face was grim as she said, "It has begun." 


	18. Shadows at the End of the Tunnel

A/N: I'm just spewing them out today! LoL  
  
You are about to read a battle scene, followed by the death of one of the characters. I PROMISE, it IS NOT what it seems...so no cursing or throwing of sharp objects, ok?  
  
Chapter Eighteen - Shadows at the End of the Tunnel  
  
You come out at night / That's when the energy comes / And the dark sides light / And the vampires roam / You strut your Rasta wear / And your suicide poem / And a cross from a faith / That died before Jesus came / You're building a mystery.  
  
You live in a church / Where you sleep with voodoo dolls / And you won't give up the search / For the ghosts in the halls / You wear sandals in the snow / And a smile that won't wash away / Can you look out the window / Without your shadow getting in the way / Oh you're so beautiful / With an edge and a charm / But so careful / When I'm in your arms.  
  
'Cause you're working / Building a mystery / Holding on and holding it in / Yeah you're working / Building a mystery / And choosing so carefully.  
  
--"Building a Mystery" - Sarah McLachlan  
  
Buffy watched as about twenty Death Eaters stormed the castle.  
  
"Damnit! Faith!"  
  
"Yeah." Faith said, pulling her attention away from the scene on the lawn.  
  
Buffy looked at her, knowing she was thinking the same thing. "They're human."  
  
"So we can't kill them."  
  
"But we CAN maim them."  
  
The two slayers sped back to the Great Hall. Everyone turned their attention to Buffy and Faith as they came inside.  
  
Over three hundred faces were staring at them, the faces of students they were bound to protect.  
  
Buffy fumbled with the stone around her neck and glanced at Dumbledore.  
  
"It's your call Buffy." He said to her.  
  
Buffy nodded. "I need all of the professors outside. Dawn, Harry, Ron, you come too. Hermione, you're in charge in here."  
  
When everyone was assembled outside, Buffy was able to try to formulate a plan.  
  
"I'm not at full strength. You all know that. I also can't kill anyone out there, and am lacking in the magical department. So, I want to split up the group, even though I know we'll all be split up in the end anyways."  
  
"What did you call the three of them out here for then?" Snape said with disdain.  
  
"Because I'm going to need their help. We all know who these guys are after. We can use the help of anyone we can get. I need you three to STAY HERE. Help Hermione."  
  
"But Buffy - "  
  
"Dawn, don't argue with me. I know you can handle yourself, but I need you here. I can't watch out for you out there. Please, just stay here."  
  
Dawn just looked at Buffy and hugged her.  
  
"Come back ok?"  
  
"I wouldn't have it any other way."  
  
They pulled away and Buffy looked at Faith, who nodded.  
  
"Let's go."  
  
Dawn, Harry, and Ron watched as their professors - their friends - walked out to the chaos outside the castle.  
  
"Oh god. They'll be back, right?"  
  
Dawn shook her head. "I don't know Harry. This is way out of Buffy's league. She's never faces this powerful an opponent before who she couldn't just kill. I just don't know."  
  
"She'll come back Dawn." Ron said, trying to convince himself as much as her.  
  
"We have to get back inside." Harry said.  
  
The hall went silent as the three of them walked in.  
  
"They've gone out there." Harry said, and the room burst into shocked whispers.  
  
"People, shut up!" Dawn screamed.  
  
"Look, I know you're all worried. Christ, my sister is out there. But she's fighting for us. She won't let anything happen to us."  
  
Dawn didn't see the shadow come up behind her.  
  
But Malfoy did.  
  
"Dawn, look out!"  
  
Dawn spun around and screeched as Pettigrew pulled her out of the Great Hall.  
  
"Dawn!"  
  
"No Ron!" Harry held him back.  
  
"We need to get out there! They have her now!" Ron pleaded with him. "Harry, please. I love her."  
  
Hermione glanced at Harry, who was obviously having some inner debate about what to do. He glanced at Malfoy.  
  
"Malfoy, I can't believe I'm about to do this, but I'm leaving you in charge. Can you handle that?"  
  
Malfoy was pretty shocked, but he nodded.  
  
"Good. Let's go." The three of them turned around and headed in the direction they thought Pettigrew was headed.  
  
Meanwhile, outside, a different war was being waged. Buffy was struggling more then usual. She was knocked to the ground by one of the Death Eaters and barely rolled out of the way as he hurled a curse at her.  
  
"You'll never win slayer." He said, holding her arms behind her back.  
  
"Let me answer that with a head but." Buffy knocked her head backwards into his and kicked backwards to his stomach. He was quick - he grabbed her foot and she slammed into the ground. Buffy swore she heard something snap.  
  
"I told you slayer, you can't win."  
  
He let out a yell as Buffy kicked his legs out from under him. His head hit the ground hard and he was knocked out.  
  
~*  
  
Faith was fighting some guy, who not had a wand, but a knife as well. Neither of them had gotten a good shot at the other.  
  
Faith was distracted by seeing Buffy go down and the Death Eater took those few seconds to his advantage. He threw the knife at Faith and it glanced off of her arm.  
  
Faith looked at the blood beading on her skin. "I really hate being stabbed." The two of them fought for another ten seconds before Faith knocked him out. She picked up the knife from the ground and shoved it into her pocket. "Old habits die hard." She mumbled.  
  
~*  
  
"Angel, look out!" Willow screamed.  
  
Angel had someone rushing at him from behind. He used the guy's force to flip him over his shoulder. He slammed to the ground with a crack. Willow had a knife to his throat.  
  
"Don't even think about it." She said maliciously. The Death Eater swallowed.  
  
"Where's Voldemort?" Angel asked.  
  
"I will never tell you."  
  
Willow put the knife closer to his throat.  
  
"If you want to live, you'll rethink your answer." Angel could see the fear in his eyes. "Your choice. Time's a-wasting."  
  
He didn't answer and Willow simply knocked him unconscious.  
  
"I couldn't kill him."  
  
"I know. Go help Buffy."  
  
~*  
  
While most of them were involved in physical fights, Dumbledore and Snape were involved in a magical battle. Curses were flying everywhere. Dumbledore pushed Xander out of the way of a particularly nasty Cruciatus Curse. The Death Eater screamed in rage and Xander hit him in the back of the head until he fell unconscious.  
  
"Thanks" He said, turning to Dumbledore.  
  
"Go help Buffy."  
  
~*  
  
"Slayer!" Pettigrew yelled out.  
  
Buffy turned and saw Pettigrew holding knife to Dawn's throat.  
  
"You little - "  
  
"Come any closer and she dies."  
  
"Buffy!"  
  
"Shut up girl!" Buffy could see a small cut already forming in Dawn's neck. "I'll have her blood and my master will rise to power."  
  
"You touch her and I swear, I will kill you with my bear hands."  
  
Pettigrew laughed as Xander and Willow approached them. "You can't kill me slayer. I'm human. I know the rules."  
  
"You might want to watch your tail when you're a rat. There's no rule against killing rodents."  
  
Pettigrew seemed to take this into consideration for a moment. "This is true. But you'd have to catch me first." Pettigrew shifted and Dawn fell to the ground, her neck bleeding slightly.  
  
"Dawn!" Buffy went to go over to her, but was pulled away by a very human Pettigrew. He rushed at Buffy and she rolled out of the way. Everyone else was fighting again as well - and this time, they were all trying to avoid curses.  
  
Buffy screamed as a Cruciatus Curse hit her in the back. She was shocked. This was unexpected.  
  
"Buffy!" Angel was thrown to the ground as he tried to rush to Buffy's aid.  
  
Xander and Willow were fighting the same Death Eater. Willow screamed as Xander was slashed in the side by a knife. But he still kept fighting.  
  
All of this was a distraction, however, for what would later be called the inevitable.  
  
Dawn was grabbed up off of the ground. She screamed and kicked, but to no avail. Two Death Eaters were holding her arms behind her.  
  
"Buffy!"  
  
Buffy heard Dawn cry out, but couldn't see where she was.  
  
"I told you I would find you Dawn."  
  
Dawn had to stop herself from crying out again when she saw Voldemort step out of the shadows.  
  
"Leave me alone." She said through clenched teeth.  
  
The two Death Eaters behind her tightened their grip on her arms and she cried out.  
  
"I don't think so." Dawn saw Voldemort pull a knife, the same knife, again from his cloak and tried to pull away. She was unsuccessful.  
  
"Your blood is the source of my ultimate power. You're on hallowed ground my girl. Now stop struggling." He stepped up to her. "This will only hurt for a second."  
  
Dawn screamed as the knife was slashed across her upper arm. She watched fearfully as her blood fell to the ground -  
  
And nothing happened.  
  
"Why isn't this working?!" Voldemort cried out angrily. He grasped her arms and the two Death Eaters let her go. Voldemort rammed her back against a tree and Dawn cried out in pain.  
  
"You had better tell me how to fix this girl. You'll be better off."  
  
"Go to hell." She spat, even though she knew what the results of those three words would be. She had been preparing herself for it since her conversation with Ron in the Forbidden Forest -  
  
"I'll be the death of me yet."  
  
"Fine." Voldemort threw her to the ground. "I warned you."  
  
He pointed his wand at Dawn just as Harry, Hermione, and Ron showed up. Buffy had finally gotten out of the fray and ran over.  
  
"Dawnie!" She yelled.  
  
Harry and Ron were too far. They knew what was coming. They'd never make it in time.  
  
"You'd have been better off as Glory's key.  
  
"Avada Kedavra!" He bellowed.  
  
Even from where they stood, Buffy, Ron, Hermione, and Harry were thrown backwards by a powerful wave of green light.  
  
That was when the whole fight stopped.  
  
All that was heard was Voldemort's angry laughter and Buffy's painful scream, mingled with Dawn's.  
  
Voldemort snapped his fingers and he disappeared. The other Death Eaters followed seconds later. Willow scrambled after something in the bushes and Buffy ran over to Dawn's side.  
  
Buffy brushed a piece of hair out of her sister's face, tears rolling down her cheeks onto Dawn's clothes.  
  
"Dawnie?" Buffy shook her. "Dawn? C'mon Dawn. You have to wake up."  
  
Angel approached quietly and knelt down next to Buffy.  
  
"It's too late."  
  
"No. It can't be too late." Buffy clasped Dawn's hands in hers and said through sobs, "She can't die."  
  
Angel put his arms around Buffy and helped her stand as Harry and Hermione approached, their arms around a very distraught Ron.  
  
"It's okay. Shh." Buffy buried her head in Angel's chest.  
  
Ron looked at Dawn and blinked twice.  
  
"Umm...guys?" He said, carefully and slowly.  
  
"Ron, not now." Angel said, still soothing Buffy.  
  
"But - Dawn."  
  
"We know."  
  
"Look!"  
  
Angel looked at Dawn and his eyes widened.  
  
"Buffy!"  
  
Buffy looked up at Angel's face and followed his gaze, temporarily losing her voice. When she found it again, she uttered three simple words.  
  
"Oh my god."  
  
A/N: HA HA! CLIFFAHNGER!  
  
Ok, I've put three chapters up today. This is it until MONDAY. I am NOT putting up spoilers for Chapter Nineteen on my website. I know I'm evil, but I had to leave things off with this. You can all probably see what's coming, but I'm not saying even if you guess right. ::Gets marshmallows ready for roasting::  
  
No hexing, cursing, decapitating, staking, or killing or maiming of any sort of me...please? ::Looks around frantically while dad arches eyebrow and guinea pig runs away::  
  
CHECK BACK MONDAY FOR CHAPTER NINETEEN!!!  
  
~* Luv Jacy *~ 


	19. Soul Searching

A/N: We're nearing the end, my loves. Five more chapters, I'd say, and I'll be done with this. Then it's on to the sequel...THE WEDDING!  
  
This chapter was just as hard to write as it may be to read. I was sniffling at certain points.  
  
Roswell428: Nope, no mystical energy. Just keep this in mind - THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM. You'll see what happens to Pettigrew...heh heh  
  
TigerBlak: Dawn was the one who was killed. What's your favorite quote?  
  
Anything with stars (*) around it are a certain person's thoughts...it will become evident who I'm talking about as you begin to read.  
  
Chapter Nineteen - Soul Searching  
  
Make me a witness / Take me out / Out of darkness / Out of doubt.  
  
I won't weigh you down / With good intention / Won't make fire out of clay / Or other inventions.  
  
Will we burn in heaven / Like we do down here / Will the change come / While we're waiting / Everyone is waiting.  
  
And when we're done / Soul searching / As we carried the weight / And died for the cause / Is misery / Made beautiful / Right before our eyes / Will mercy be revealed / Or blind us where we stand.  
  
--"Witness" - Sarah McLachlan  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Gods it hurt. Pins and needles were being forced through her body, and she couldn't do anything to stop it. Moving was never so painful. Breathing never hurt so much.  
  
Dawn heard Buffy cry out.  
  
*She thinks I'm dead. God, she thinks I'm dead. I should be dead. But I'm not. Buffy! I have to make her notice I'm alive. *  
  
Dawn took a few very shallow, painful breaths - and that's when Ron realized that Dawn was very much alive.  
  
"Look!"  
  
Angel followed Ron's gaze. "Buffy!"  
  
Buffy looked at Dawn - and saw her take a breath. She was breathing. She wasn't dead!  
  
"Oh my god."  
  
*Goddess, make this pain go away...They noticed! Thank God. Don't give up on me Buffy, please. *  
  
"She's alive. She - oh my god." Buffy said, disbelieving.  
  
"That's not possible!" Hermione said. "She's can't be! She's - "  
  
"Not human. My God - the binding spell. It kept her alive." Buffy slung Dawn over her shoulder. "Help me get her to the infirmary." She told Angel.  
  
"Buffy, you're hurt." He said, putting a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Then come with me! I'm not sacrificing her! Not again! I'll heal. She could die."  
  
Angel took Dawn from Buffy's arms and headed back to the castle. Buffy followed. Xander put a hand on her arm, but she shook him off. Ron followed close behind them.  
  
"Harry," Hermione said slowly, "Are you alright? Harry?"  
  
"Yeah. Yes, I'm fine. I mean, as fine as I can be."  
  
Hermione put a hand over a cut above his eye. "You're hurt."  
  
"I'll live."  
  
Hermione saw the guilty look in his eyes. "Harry, look at me."  
  
"'Mione - "  
  
Hermione grabbed his chin and forced him to look into her eyes. "Don't you DARE blame yourself for this Harry. This isn't your fault. This isn't anyone's fault but Voldemort's." She put a hand on both of his cheeks. "I love you." She kissed him. "I love you so much. But this isn't your fault." She kissed him again. "Do you hear me?"  
  
Harry nodded. Hermione kissed his forehead, a bit disappointed. "Good."  
  
"They're gone. They all disappeared." Xander said, but he was fighting a smile. Harry failed to see what was so funny.  
  
"But look what we found." Faith said happily.  
  
Willow came out from behind the bushes and held up a rat she was holding by it's tail. The rodent was flailing around madly.  
  
Harry clenched his teeth and glared. "Pettigrew."  
  
Willow smiled evilly. "I smelled a rat. And here he is. All - ratty."  
  
Harry and Hermione glanced at each other. They were both thinking the same thing, but it was Harry who voiced his thoughts.  
  
"Sirius. We can prove he's innocent."  
  
"Yes, that's all fine and dandy, but can we discuss this when I don't have an evil rat in my hands?"  
  
"Oh - right. Umm - why don't you and Professor Harris - "  
  
"Xander." He whispered quickly.  
  
"Right - you and Xander go to see Dumbledore with him." He said the word him with a great deal of malice. "Faith can take Hermione and I to the infirmary.  
  
"Its about time a certain wrong was made right."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
*I have to keep breathing. I have to stay alive. But it hurts so much... *  
  
"Professor Summers?"  
  
Buffy looked up at Madame Pomfrey. She was holding Dawn's hand. "Yes?"  
  
"Professor Dumbledore would like to see you in his office."  
  
"I don't want to leave Dawn alone." Her voice was quiet and it broke Dawn's heart to hear the fear not so well hidden anymore.  
  
"I'll sit with her."  
  
"Are you sure Ron?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Buffy brushed her hand over Dawn's cheek and got up. She paused to give Ron a quick hug.  
  
Harry and Hermione were sitting on the bed next to Dawn's. They watched silently as Ron sat down where Buffy had been sitting. He gently kissed her forehead. Harry and Hermione sat down on the other side.  
  
"Hey Dawn. I'm here."  
  
*Hi. I wish I could talk to you. I wish I could see you. *  
  
"Dawn, you have to come back to us. You - you have to come back to me." He held her hand tightly in his and Hermione had to bite back a sob when she saw a tear slide down his cheek. Seven years and she had never seen Ron cry. Harry put his arm around her.  
  
"I love you." Ron said.  
  
*I love you too. * Dawn tried to speak, but it was still too painful, so she resorted to the next best thing -  
  
She squeezed his hand.  
  
"Harry, I think she heard me."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Just now. She squeezed my hand."  
  
Harry moved forward and held Dawn's other hand. Hermione put her arm around his waist.  
  
"Dawn?"  
  
*Harry. You're here too? * She squeezed Harry's hand lightly.  
  
"Dawn, you have to come out of this."  
  
*I want to. But it hurts so much. It's like fire one minute and ice the next. It hurts so much to even breathe. *  
  
"Do it for Buffy." Ron was speaking again. "Do it for all of us." He paused and said quietly, "Do it for me."  
  
Hermione rose out of her chair and went over to Ron. Without speaking, she hugged him, not much unlike a sister would embrace a brother. Harry got up and joined them.  
  
"Guys, don't get all weepy, because then you're going to cry, and then I'm going to cry, and then we're all going to cry, and it'll just be bad."  
  
They pulled away and respectively dried their eyes when they heard Faith enter the room.  
  
"Good news. Professor Dumbledore owled Fudge to come and question Pettigrew with Veritaserum. Sirius should be acquitted of all charges by tomorrow morning. Dumbledore's going to ask Sirius to come here.  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"You three look exhausted. You should get some rest. Pomfrey's gonna freak when she sees that you're out of bed - you should have heard the lecture she gave Xander, Buffy and me." Faith shook her head and glanced at Dawn. "Hang in there kiddo. Hang on." She gave Ron a half smile and walked out, shutting the door behind her.  
  
Harry and Hermione curled up on the bed next to Dawn's. Ron sat back down in the chair next to her and held her hand. Although they didn't want to, the three of them succumbed to sleep.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Harry? Harry, wake up."  
  
Harry groaned as he awakened and fumbled for his glasses on the bedside table. "What's the matter 'Mione?"  
  
"Hermione?" Harry turned around. "It's nice to know that you're mistaking me for your girlfriend." Dawn walked over and sat down next to him. She was wearing a flowing green dress and was barefoot.  
  
She glanced over at the bed - and there she was again, lying down.  
  
"Is this a dream?" Harry asked.  
  
"Sort of. This definitely isn't my head. My thoughts are a little cluttered right now."  
  
"Did you hear everything that we said?"  
  
Dawn nodded. "It's lonely in there. And painful. Like fire and ice. I can't find the strength to come out of it on my own, even though I want to. I want to so much."  
  
Dawn glanced at Ron. "I love him. I love him and I couldn't tell him."  
  
"He knows." Harry brushed a piece of hair out of her face. "He knows."  
  
"The binding saved me. Only breaking the spell can bring me back."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"She has to break the spell. Just tell her that." Dawn kissed Harry on the cheek.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Harry? Harry, wake up."  
  
Harry groggily awakened and his dream came flooding back to him. He sat up slowly. "What happened?"  
  
"Good news. Sirius is free. Pettigrew confessed." Ron and Hermione were standing over him.  
  
Harry smiled. "At least some good has come out of this." He shook his head. "I need to speak with Professor Summers. About the binding spell."  
  
"What?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I had a dream and Dawn told me to tell Buffy that she has to break the binding spell for her to wake up. Oh, and Ron," he said, pausing in the doorway, "She loves you."  
  
He disappeared, leaving Hermione to deal with a very upset and confused Ron.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Buffy was sitting in an armchair by the fireplace in her office. Her knees were pulled up to her chest and Angel was kneeling in front of her with his arms around her.  
  
"Profess - Buffy?" Harry said quietly.  
  
"What is it Harry?" He voice was hoarse, almost a whisper.  
  
" I - I had a dream last night. Dawn was in it and - she told me that she loves you and that she wants to come back, but it's too painful to do on her own. The only way for her to wake up is - is for you to break the binding spell."  
  
Buffy was looking at Harry in shock, but she didn't need to think twice. She removed the stone from around her neck and smashed it on the top of her desk. It shattered to pieces. Buffy fell backwards with the impact. She felt whatever part of her that had been bound coursing through her again, and it was enough to make her slightly light-headed.  
  
"Buffy, are you ok?" Angel asked, helping her up.  
  
"Yeah," she said sitting up. "Yeah, I'm fine."  
  
"Did it work?" Harry asked.  
  
Buffy shook her head. "I don't know. Now all we can do is wait and see."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Dawn's eyes fluttered open slowly. It took a few minutes for her eyes to adjust to the light, and brought a wave of pain to her already splitting head.  
  
Dawn turned her head slightly and saw Ron with his head down on the bed next to her. Carefully, she lifted his hand, clasped in hers, and kissed it.  
  
Ron looked up at her and smiled.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Dawn - "  
  
"Shh." She put a finger to his lips. "I want to tell you something." Her voice was quiet and shaky.  
  
"What? What is it?"  
  
She took a breath. "I love you too."  
  
Ron smiled and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "Thank God you're alright." He said hugging her.  
  
"Of course I'm alright. It was getting lonely in there. I heard your voice and I wanted to respond, but - I couldn't. I wanted to tell you right away, but I couldn't, so I squeezed your hand instead. I wanted you to know I heard. And I love you." Her eyes welled with tears as she pulled Ron over for a hug and a kiss. Ron put a hand on her stomach and -  
  
"Ow! Oh, that's a bitch."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"I'm so achy. Especially there. Why there?"  
  
"That's where the curse hit you."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Ron looked at her awkwardly. "You sure you're okay?"  
  
"Honestly - no. Ron, I'm supposed to be dead right now. But this whole fucking key thing is what's keeping me alive. I could bring the end of the world. Do you know what it's like to have that hanging over your head every minute of every day?"  
  
Ron sighed. "No, I don't. But the world isn't going to end. Voldemort," he grimaced, "isn't going to get the key's power. You're not going to die. You'll heal," he put his hand on her cheek, "and that's all that matters."  
  
Dawn blinked back tears. "I love you."  
  
"I love you too." Ron leaned in to kiss her. Hermione had been watching from the doorway, tearfully, next to Harry and Buffy. She turned around and walked out of the room. Buffy eyed Harry, silently telling him to follow her. She knew exactly what was going through Hermione's head, and it wasn't 'I'm glad Dawn's okay and they're happy.'  
  
Buffy cleared her throat after giving them about two minutes of touchy- feely time. Ron pulled away blushing.  
  
"Thank you for keeping an eye on Dawn for me." She said smirking.  
  
"Umm, you're welcome." He nodded and Buffy nodded back. "Right. I'll - I'll go upstairs now."  
  
Buffy laughed as he left. Dawn sat up and winced.  
  
"Easy there killer. You've had a rough day."  
  
Dawn half-smiled. "So, is this what it's usually like coming back from the dead?"  
  
"Oh yeah. It'll be touch and go for a while."  
  
They both laughed silently.  
  
"God Dawn, you don't know how sorry I am."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For not getting there in time. I thought you were dead." She felt tears coming again. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."  
  
Dawn hugged her. "I'm here now, and that's all that matter."  
  
"I love you." Buffy pulled away. "And it appears I'm not the only one."  
  
Dawn looked surprised.  
  
"What? You think I wouldn't notice? C'mon, it's as obvious as anything. Plus, I overheard you in the doorway. It's okay. You're all grown up now. I have to stop thinking of you as a little kid. You're a woman, a woman in love. You deserve everything you're about to experience."  
  
"But hey, at least Ron isn't a vampire."  
  
"Neither is Angel.  
  
"No anymore." There was a brief pause. "Of course, Ron IS a wizard."  
  
"Quit while you're ahead Dawnie."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Harry found Hermione out by the lake.  
  
"'Mione?"  
  
Hermione was facing the water. She had her back turned to Harry.  
  
"Hermione."  
  
Hermione was looking tearfully out onto the water.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Honestly? No, Harry. I'm not okay."  
  
Harry was confused. "But - Dawn's fine. You just saw her. She's awake. She'll be okay."  
  
"They love each other, Harry. At least they both know."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"I didn't expect you to." Hermione began to walk off, but Harry grabbed her arm. Her eyes met his and she was only upset further.  
  
"You don't get it, so you?"  
  
"Hermione, I don't - "  
  
"You never said it back Harry!"  
  
Harry mentally slapped himself in the face. He finally understood. Out on the lawn before - she told him she loved him and this whole time, he hadn't said it back.  
  
"Don't you Harry?" Hermione asked softly.  
  
Harry pulled her towards him and kissed her, putting all of himself into it. He wanted to show her how much he really loved her. Love wasn't even the right word. It was something even more then that.  
  
"Hermione Granger, I love you." He pressed his forehead to hers. "I love you more then I could ever express with words." He kissed her again. "I love you." He murmured against her mouth.  
  
She kissed him back. "I love you too."  
  
"Awe, isn't that just sweet? It's like Lily and James all over again. Too bad it'll all end the same way."  
  
Harry pushed Hermione behind him at the sound of that voice. HIS voice.  
  
Voldemort's voice.  
  
"So, I finally get to face you again Mr. Potter."  
  
Harry stood his ground.  
  
"It was fun fighting your friends, even more fun killing that key of yours, "Harry balled his hands into fists, "but I will truly enjoy killing you."  
  
Harry backed up and Hermione saw him mouth one word - 'Run.'  
  
Harry pushed Hermione out of the way and she scrambled to her feet and back to the castle. Three of the Death Eaters ran after her, but Voldemort stopped them. "No. Leave her, She is no threat to us now. She'll die later anyway." He turned back to Harry. "Your slayer friends may have won the battle, but I will win the war. History always repeats itself Harry. And this time, you won't come back."  
  
Voldemort pulled a bloody knife from his robes. Harry knew whose blood it was. He knew it with every fiber of his being.  
  
Voldemort threw the knife to the ground and the lawn was filled with an unearthly green light.  
  
That's when the sky went black and the earth shook.  
  
Dawn and Buffy felt it from their place in the infirmary. Hermione's face only confirmed what they already knew.  
  
"He has the key's power." Buffy said.  
  
"Only my blood can stop it."  
  
Buffy stared at her. "This isn't Glory, Dawn. This is something more powerful and more dangerous. Are you insane? You'll be killed."  
  
"It's the only way Buffy! And don't you DARE!"  
  
Suddenly, Willow's words rang through her head - "One Ritual of Endowment. It's used to transfer the strength of one person or persons into another. It begins with drawing blood from the palm of people with ties to that person. It's a soul spell."  
  
The connections finally registered.  
  
"There is another way." Dawn said. "Get Angel, Willow, Ron, and everyone else involved in the prophecy down to the front of the castle. Now."  
  
Dawn struggled, but was able to find the strength to get up out of bed. Buffy recognized that face. The resolve face. She herself had it so many times.  
  
Buffy went to get the others.  
  
"What exactly do you plan to do?" Hermione asked as she helped Dawn down the stairs.  
  
Dawn's not-so-cryptic answer was, "Give him your strength."  
  
A/N: I am at a roadblock. I know what I want to happen from now on, but I don't know how. I PROMISE, by next Monday, I WILL have the next chapter up. The Final Battle is coming, guys. Hope you're ready.  
  
~* Luv Jacy *~ 


	20. Ending the Cycle

A/N: This is it. The Final Battle between Harry and Voldemort. The shit has finally hit the fan. This is one of about three or four more chapters. We are very close to the end...is that a good thing or a bad thing??  
  
If you recognize the Ritual of Endowment, it's because I stole it from the BtVS book "The Gatekeeper Trilogy - Out of the Madhouse." The implications are NOT the same, but the words themselves are, modified slightly for my own purposes. If this chapter is confusing at all PLEASE let me know so that I can try to fix it, If not, kudos to me :) I swear, things get A LOT lighter after this, and I will begin the spoilers on my website again, so check it out when you're done reading - www.xanga.com/jacy  
  
Angus Hardie: Thank you. I know I'm heartless - I'm a stone cold bitch. I should be in Slytherin....KIDDING! I am SO a Gryffindor girl :)  
  
TigerBlak: You can read my other stuff while you wait, if you'd like. I'M SORRY! I WAS BLOCKED! I went FIVE DAYS without writing...I NEVER go that long without writing!!...thank you Mr. Shane for saying the word "dispel" during US History and kicking my imagination into overdrive...Calculus? What's Calculus? I was working on the Battle Scene...but you don't know that.  
  
Roswell428: I told you things aren't what they seem :) And no, it is NOT a soul reversal spell. It's a soul spell because it connects the souls of the people who are in involved (in this case, Buffy, Angel, Hermione, Ron, and Dawn) to a certain person who needs "strength" (in this case, Harry) Or at least that's what it means in MY little world :)  
  
Fastpilot: It involves blood, but nobody's drinking any, I PROMISE.  
  
Note: Anything with stars (*) around it are inside people's heads, NOT spoken aloud.  
  
OK, this is it. Here we go -------  
  
Chapter Twenty - Ending the Cycle  
  
You woke up screaming aloud / A prayer from your secret god / You feed off our fears / And hold back your tears / Give us a tantrum / And a know it all grin / Just when we need one / When the evening's thin.  
  
Oh you're a beautiful / A beautiful fucked up man / You're setting up your / Razor wire shrine.  
  
Cause you're working / Building a mystery / Holding on and holding it in / Yeah you're working / Building a mystery / And choosing so / Carefully.  
  
You're building a mystery...  
  
--"Building a Mystery" - Sarah McLachlan  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Buffy bounded the stairs in twos. She had no idea what Dawn was getting at, but she knew that it was important. She went straight to her office and found Angel sitting at her desk.  
  
"Buffy, what's - "  
  
"We need to get downstairs. Now. Pull my weapon's trunk out from under my desk."  
  
Angel did so and paused. "Uh - Buffy?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Are you aware that you have a note under your desk?"  
  
Buffy just stared. "A what?"  
  
"A note?"  
  
Buffy took the letter from Angel and read it. "Oh my god."  
  
"What? What is it?"  
  
Buffy read the letter to him.  
  
"Buffy,  
  
I know we're not on the best of terms right now, but this is something I was asked to do. I'm getting paid highly for it, ("No surprise there," Angel quipped) and I wanted to make sure this was done right.  
  
It has been called to my attention that you will be facing a very powerful adversary. But there is something you should know about him. While the key's power can make him stronger, it can also be his downfall. Voldemort isn't alive, not really. He doesn't have a soul to take away, but he can be killed just like everyone else.  
  
Use this information to your advantage slayer. And tell the little bit about it. You'll thank me later.  
  
-- Spike"  
  
"So what do we do about this?"  
  
Buffy paused. "We load up on weapons and kick some ass. I'll see you downstairs."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"My, my Mr. Potter. You've grown more foolish since the last time we met."  
  
"Not foolish. Just brave."  
  
"Ah yes, bravery. One of the more popular traits of an individual in Gryffindor. Your father had it too. But that didn't stop him from dying," Voldemort pulled out his wand, "and it won't stop you. Crucio!"  
  
"Expelliarmus!"  
  
The two spells met in mid-air, but things didn't go as Harry had planned. They weren't met with a phoenix song as the last time they had faced off. Rather, the spells rebounded on each other, although Harry was sure that he was in a hell of a lot more pain then Voldemort.  
  
"Once again Harry, I tell you, you cannot win." Voldemort wasn't even using his wand when he seemed to hurl a mass of crackling power (the key's power, Harry realized) in Harry's direction. Harry was caught off-guard, and the power engulfed him, sending crackling bolts of pain through his entire body. It felt like his skin was on fire.  
  
Harry hoped that he would live to see Hermione again.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
From where she was standing, Hermione saw what happened to Harry. She heard him cry out, a look of intense pain on his face. Dawn grimaced and turned away, knowing that it was a part of her doing that to him. Willow called her over when she saw Hermione about to go after Harry.  
  
Buffy held her back. "No Hermione! You'll just do him more harm if you go after him."  
  
"But we need to help him!"  
  
"And we will." Dawn said, leaning her weight on Ron's shoulder. He put his arm around her waist. She swore she was feeling better a few minutes ago...damn Voldemort. "I promise. Remember that ritual I was telling you about?"  
  
"Yes. The one that Willow found after we told her the whole 'give him our strength' thing. But I don't understand how - "  
  
"It connects us, all of us involved, to Harry. It connects our very souls to him. We're in this together. We'll help him in a way that not even Voldemort, (Ron cringed) will expect."  
  
Hermione nodded, her eyes shining with tears. "What do I have to do?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Dawnie, are you sure you're up for this?"  
  
Dawn nodded. "Just hand me the knife when you're done with it. I know what I'm doing. Spike's letter pretty much confirmed it."  
  
Willow just looked at her.  
  
"I promise." Dawn swore. "Just remember, I'm the anchor, okay?"  
  
Willow nodded her head as Dawn sat down on the ground, legs crossed, and closed her eyes. She was going to need a clear head to manage what she was about to do.  
  
Willow positioned everyone else for the spell, thinking 'Buffy is SO never going to forgive me for this...'  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Harry had never been on so much pain in his entire life. Not the time he fell off his broom playing Quidditch Sixth Year, not the time he woke up in the Hospital Wing after the Tri-Wizard Tournament - never. He could sympathize with Dawn if this was what she was feeling when she woke up, or even while she was unconscious.  
  
Harry yanked his mind out of the past and into the present. It was too dangerous to forget where he was and what was going on. The Death Eaters had created a circle around he and Voldemort. There was no where to run. He was trapped.  
  
And he was alone.  
  
Harry briefly acknowledged the fact that most of the professors - his friends - had assembled on the front lawn before he was forced to resume fighting, while zoning out that monstrous laugh at the same time.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Angel, Buffy, Ron, and Hermione stood in a small circle in the middle of which was Dawn, sitting with the Orb of Thesula in the middle of her crossed legs. She was to be the anchor of the spell. It would ultimately be channeled through the Orb.  
  
Or at least that's what the four of them were told.  
  
Giles was the one chanting. Dumbledore stood watch close by.  
  
Dawn closed her eyes and began to meditate, signaling Giles to begin.  
  
"Xander, its time." Xander nodded at Giles. He went to each of the people in the circle and bound their wrists together with white sashes. Willow, who had to carefully work around them, drew blood from each of their palms. After their blood mingled with the earth, Willow handed the Weapon of Athena, handle-first, to Dawn, who held it on her lap.  
  
Willow stepped away. Hermione grabbed Ron's hand and squeezed. They each grasped each other's hands tightly.  
  
Giles began to speak in Latin which, strangely enough, they were all able to understand.  
  
"Behold, those who protect him. These are his followers, those by whom he is loved above all else, those who stood by him before he was even known to them.  
  
Their spirits stay with him.  
  
Their hearts stay with him.  
  
Their souls stay with him."  
  
Unbeknownst to anyone but Willow and Giles, Dawn picked up the knife.  
  
"Their loyalty is one living thing among them no matter the future, no matter the past."  
  
Hermione squeezed Ron's hand, tears leaking steadily out of the corner of her eye.  
  
"This is their bond. Beyond battle, beyond force, this is their greatest gift."  
  
Angel could feel Buffy tense at the mere mention of any type of gift. He squeezed her hand assuringly.  
  
"Know this in your soul. Even if you never see him again, his strength is with you, and your strength is with him."  
  
The Orb of Thesula began to emit a soft, white glow. Buffy slightly opened her eyes.  
  
"Dawn?"  
  
Dawn had her eyes closed "Give him your strength." She whispered -  
  
And drew the knife across her own palm.  
  
"Dawnie, no!"  
  
"Buffy, stay back!" Giles yelled.  
  
Dawn's blood fell from her palm into the Orb, which only gleamed brighter. "From Manus, the hand, I give my strength." Dawn said, sealing the spell with her words and her blood -  
  
And she fell into a trance.  
  
Ron went to untie his wrist from Hermione's, but Willow stopped him.  
  
"Ron, DO NOT break the circle. Stay where you are. I promise you, she knows what she's doing."  
  
"Willow, you - "  
  
Buffy was cut off as the Orb emit a wave of light so strong it nearly knocked Buffy off her feet. Nearly. It did, however, knock out the wall of Death Eaters surrounding Harry. Voldemort was temporarily knocked off his feet.  
  
*Harry. *  
  
Harry heard Dawn's voice, but it wasn't on the air, as he would expect, but in his head.  
  
*Dawn. *  
  
*Harry, listen to me. There's not much time, so listen. *  
  
*I'm listening. *  
  
Buffy, Angel, Hermione, and Ron could all hear this exchange in their own minds, but none of them could respond to Harry as Dawn could.  
  
*The spell that we just cast, it connected us - you, Hermione, Buffy, Ron, Angel, and me. Our very souls are connected. This is how they can help you - by giving you their strength. But you have to listen to me. The spell was channeled through me. Therefore, you're at an advantage. *  
  
*I don't understand. *  
  
*You have the key on your side. Use the key's power. *  
  
*I can't. *  
  
*You can! *  
  
*It'll kill you. *  
  
*It won't! I swear it! Trust me. *  
  
Harry paused.  
  
*Harry, please. I swear to you, this won't kill me. And if it does...well...at least the world is saved. *  
  
*Ron is never going to forgive me for this - but all right. Tell me what to do. *  
  
*I'm willing to give you the key's power. Voldemort took it by force. You'll have it as a gift. *  
  
*So what do I do? *  
  
*Anything he throws at you, you can reverse, and send right back at him. You have to trust me Harry. You have to let us in. Let us help you. *  
  
Voldemort finally recovered. "Interesting. It seems our little key is still alive. It doesn't matter now, does it? I have her power. And that's all that matters." He laughed shrilly as Harry got up off the ground.  
  
"Still fighting? Well, we'll just have to take care of that." Voldemort sent another wave of energy at Harry. Dawn held up her hand and said, "Dispel."  
  
And the energy shattered before it could reach Harry.  
  
Voldemort tried again, and the same thing happened. He let out a cry of rage. Dawn smirked.  
  
"It seems you can't use magic to fight me, Voldemort."  
  
Voldemort cried out again, and then he laughed.  
  
"But who said we had to use magic?" Almost out of nowhere, a sword appeared in his hands.  
  
*Now what? *  
  
Dawn sighed. *I don't know. This is a bit out of my league. First, get yourself a sword or something. *  
  
*Where the hell am I going to get a sword? *  
  
*Are you a wizard or not?! *  
  
Suddenly, it dawned on him - Godric Gryffindor's sword. Dumbledore gave it to him as a gift during his Fifth Year. Why hadn't he thought of it before?  
  
"Accio sword!" The sword came flying through the air and into his hands.  
  
"Impressive Mr. Potter. Let's just hope you're as good a fighter with a sword as you are with magic."  
  
Voldemort made the first move which Harry, uncannily, knew how to block. Every move Voldemort made, Harry was able to counter. It was almost as if he were seeing out of the slayer's eyes and reacting with Angel's mind. He couldn't explain it, and quite frankly, he could care less, as long as he stayed alive.  
  
~*  
  
*I feel so useless. *  
  
*Don't you even DARE Ron Weasly! Just being here is giving Harry the strength to go on. He knows that the two people he loves most in the world are cheering him on. If that's not useful, then I don't know what is. So quit it. *  
  
Hermione nodded. She had been thinking the same thing. That and, 'Oh god, let him come back to me.' But Dawn was right. Just being here supporting Harry was enough to help him go on.  
  
~*  
  
Harry was spending so much time focusing on trading blows with Voldemort that he didn't see Voldemort pull his wand out of his clothes. Dawn felt the fight shift. Something wasn't right.  
  
Voldemort rolled out of the way and pulled out his wand. 'He won't even see this coming,' he thought as he screamed the magic words -  
  
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"  
  
For some reason, Harry was compelled to lift his sword, shielding himself, though he knew it wouldn't do him any good. That's when he heard a single voice yell a single word, a voice he didn't think he would ever forget for the rest of his life.  
  
"REFLECT!" Dawn screamed. Harry's sword emitted a powerful white glow. The green light from Voldemort's spell bounced off of Harry's sword -  
  
Right back at Voldemort.  
  
He had no time to react as the spell hit him where his heart should have been. Voldemort screeched, realizing that this was the Final Battle, but it was he who wouldn't live to see another day.  
  
Voldemort all but crumbled beneath his own power.  
  
Harry fell backwards with the impact. The circle broke, along with the Orb, throwing all four of them backwards. Dawn collapsed.  
  
When all was quiet, the sky was finally fading from black to gray. The Death Eaters were still lying around, very much unconscious. Harry carefully approached what was once Lord Voldemort. The power from both his and Dawn's spells had literally destroyed him till he was nothing but ashes, which were blown away by the wind. All that was left of Voldemort now was a broken wand.  
  
Knowing that everything was finally at peace, and that the cycle of fear and death was finally ended, Harry sank into blissful unconsciousness.  
  
A/N: So? Honestly - did my muse do a good job? Please say yes. 


	21. Letting It Go

A/N: As of now, I'm just tying up some - well, a few - loose ends. I've re- read my own story and actually made a list - yes, an actual list - of everything that I wrote about that I never explained or picked up on. There are a few things, however, that I am leaving alone until the sequel, things that are pivotal to the sequel's plot.  
  
This is already a MUCH longer story then I EVER expected, and I hope you all stay with me until the end. I'm leaning towards twenty-five chapters.  
  
TigerBlak: As I said, my muses' ego had now swelled so big, it's head can't fit through the doorway :) The sequel is coming. I was aiming for chills - but let me finish this one first :)  
  
Jo: Yes, that is the line. However, I always liked the way the line sounded the way I've been using it better. So, I slightly altered it.  
  
Sammy: Yup, Voldemort got his ass kicked BAD, LoL.  
  
Fastpilot: Yeah, drinking of blood would be pretty gross ::shudders:: Yes, Voldie bit the big one. He's dead and gone, and no, I can already assure you. HE will not be making an appearance in the sequel, but don't think for one second that his legacy doesn't live on...  
  
Souls: I'm glad you like it. And yes, I agree, Buffy should have been more honest from the beginning- but they had to find out for themselves. That was the whole point.  
  
Tora: No one is dying. Sorry. Hope you'll still read though!  
  
Rockson: This is the wrap-up. A few more chapters, and it's on to sequel land! LoL  
  
Enjoy the fic kiddies!  
  
TrinityLast, where'd you go?? : (  
  
Chapter Twenty-One - Letting It Go  
  
I let the beast in too soon / I don't know how to live / Without my hand on his throat / I fight him always & still.  
  
O darling, it's so sweet / You think you know how crazy / How crazy I am / You say you don't spook easy, you won't go / But I know / And I pray that you will.  
  
-"Fast as You Can" - Fiona Apple  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Buffy, please, sit down." Professor Dumbledore said, motioning to a seat. Buffy did as she was asked. Angel sat down beside her and held her hand.  
  
After the Ministry sent over God knows how many Aurors to take the still unconscious Death Eaters in for questioning, and Dawn and Harry went with Faith and Giles to the infirmary, Buffy and Angel were called to Dumbledore's office, while Xander and Willow went with Ron and Hermione to the Great Hall to tell everyone what was going on. There was both good news and bad news to be told.  
  
"I know that you are probably curious as to know what went on with Dawn and Harry."  
  
"Wouldn't hurt." Buffy quipped.  
  
"Dawn figured out something we should have learned long ago. A vampire delivered a letter to you, yes?"  
  
"Yeah, Spike, but what does - "  
  
"That letter was from Sirius Black. I notified him of the prophecy the moment that we learned of it. He was hoping that you would receive the letter sooner."  
  
"Alright, I get that he found out that Dawn - that the key's power could be used against Voldemort. But how was Dawn able to just give that away?"'  
  
Dumbledore smiled. "Ah, Ms. Summers, I see that you are making a very big mistake. You are separating Dawn from the key. The key is very much a part if her. Once she realized this, she was able to focus that power and use it against the very forces she was trying to escape. Dawn is no ordinary Muggle girl, just as you are no ordinary Muggle woman. She is a force of power, yes. But she is also human. Just as you are both Buffy and The Chosen One, she is both Dawn and The Key."  
  
Buffy nodded and got up to leave, but she turned around. "Professor?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What's going to happen to all the students whose parents were taken away?"  
  
"By students, I assume that you mean, in particular, Draco Malfoy?"  
  
Buffy nodded.  
  
"Draco is graduating this year, and will be going off to be on his own. There will be troubling times ahead, but - I'm sure he'll be able to manage. Also, due to recent developments, I'm sure you're happy to know that you have your job back."  
  
"Yeah." She said quietly. Buffy gave Dumbledore a quick smile and she walked out.  
  
Once they were outside, Angel put his arm around Buffy's waist. "What's on your mind?"  
  
Buffy was silent for a moment, before, "She was willing to die, Angel. She would have died if it meant that the rest of the world was saved."  
  
"Sounds familiar."  
  
Buffy stopped walking. "I guess - I don't know. I'm the slayer. I was meant to die in the line of duty. She's just seventeen." She looked up at Angel, eyes full of tears. "She'll get through this right?"  
  
"Yes. She's strong." Angel brushed a piece of hair away from her face. "Like you."  
  
She smiled and leaned into his chest, allowing him to just hold her for a while.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Harry awoke in the infirmary. His vision was blurry, but that's when he realized that his glasses weren't on.  
  
"Looking for these?"  
  
Dawn smiled and handed Harry his glasses. He put them on and sat up. "How long was I out for?"  
  
"Two days."  
  
"TWO DAYS?!"  
  
"Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I just woke up an hour ago. And I have the worst headache imaginable."  
  
"But really, how are you?"  
  
Dawn looked at him. "Surprisingly enough, I feel - awake. Not tired or, or weak. I can still feel that spell pulsing through me. It's like, I allowed the key to become a part of me and now I have all these weird...feelings I've never had before. Everything is personified - senses, emotions. But I'm okay. Are you okay?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "I'm just - tired." He looked up into her face. "It's over. It's finally over. So why do I feel so..."  
  
"Unrelieved?" Dawn gave him a half smile. "It's perfectly natural. You have this enemy for so long that once they're defeated, you don't know where to go. You still feel like you need to be looking over your shoulder, when in actuality, it's over. It's done. But," Dawn looked thoughtful. "It's never over. Not really. There will always be evil in the world. You can't defeat evil itself, Harry. You can defeat the powers that make evil prevail."  
  
"I'm finally understanding what Tara said to all of us in our dreams," Harry said. "You think you know who you are, what's to come. But we've all only just begun to experience life. Maybe now, we can all actually begin to live."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Settle down you four - yes, I'm talking to you Hermione."  
  
Hermione smirked at Angel and sat down between Harry and Dawn.  
  
"We are going to be continuing werewolves today since I finally got a hold of our guest speaker, and, in light if recent events, and since final exams are cancelled, I figured you could all use a break. Both of these speakers are friends of Professor Giles. You've already met one, and have heard stories from Professor Summers about the other."  
  
This struck a chord in Dawn's mind. She suddenly sat straight up.  
  
"Please welcome Remus Lupin and - well - call him Oz."  
  
The class broke into excited whispers.  
  
"Willow is gonna freak!" Dawn squealed.  
  
"Why?" Ron asked.  
  
"Did you completely miss that part of Buffy's story? They were 'involved.' Oz came back because he wanted to see Willow, but she was with Tara, and he left again because she brought out the wolf him, and I'm rambling again aren't I?"  
  
"Yeah." Ron kissed her on the cheek. "But you're cute when you ramble." Dawn flushed.  
  
When class was over, Dawn vaulted out of her seat and gave Oz the biggest hug she could, while Ron, Harry, and Hermione went to speak with Lupin.  
  
"Hey Dawn."  
  
"Hi Oz!" She pulled away.  
  
"So, I hear you have a boyfriend and you saved the world."  
  
"Nah, it was - wait a minute." She put a hand on her hip. "How did you know I had a boyfriend?"  
  
"Willow and Tara." Oz said smiling.  
  
Dawn shook her head. "So, do you have ulterior motives for being here, or are you just here to talk about werewolves?"  
  
"Ulterior motives a definite. Buffy and Willow were asked to plan an end of the year dance for the Seventh Years, like their prom, and they asked my band to play."  
  
"How cool is that? It's like the whole gang is back together. Wait - when is this dance?"  
  
"Next week."  
  
"Well, when do they graduate?"  
  
"Uh - June third."  
  
"June third! That's only two weeks away!"  
  
"Dawn calm down. I'll still be here."  
  
"Yeah. You'll still be here." Dawn shook her head. "I gotta go. I'll see you later Oz."  
  
Dawn walked off, leaving Oz very confused.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ron came into the Common Room with a very happy Harry and Hermione. Harry asked Hermione to the dance, and she agreed. Dawn was standing by the door and she grabbed Ron's arm.  
  
"I need to talk to you."  
  
This wiped the smile off of Ron's face.  
  
"Umm - ok."  
  
Dawn put her arm around his shoulders and they walked up the Astronomy Tower. Dawn looked out of the window. "I need to ask you a question, and I want you to answer me honestly."  
  
"OK."  
  
Dawn took a breath. "After you graduate - were you planning on breaking up with me?"  
  
Ron took her hands in his. "How could you even think that?"  
  
"It's just - you'll be a part of the wizarding world and I'll be a part of the Muggle world, barely out of high school, and I don't even know what's going to happen with Buffy and her job here and I just - " Ron cut her off with a kiss. Dawn wanted to pull away, but she also wanted nothing more than to be close to him. This, in her opinion, was perfect. His hands found their way up her shirt and in other places, and she pulled away.  
  
"I'm sorry." He said.  
  
"Don't be. Not now. Soon, but - not now."  
  
"Dawn, how could you even think that I would break up with you? I love you. I love you, so much. I don't care that you have to go back to the Muggle world. We can make this work. Even if that means you have to come live with me after graduation."  
  
Dawn looked up at him. "You mean it?"  
  
"I swear it."  
  
Dawn threw her arms around him happily, but then bit her lip. "There's something I need to tell you. It's not - nothing major, but - I still need to tell you."  
  
"Go on."  
  
"Remember when Harry and I were up here after we both had those dreams?"  
  
Ron became very alert. "Yes."  
  
"Well...we sort of...kissed. Not - not, like, making out. It was just a peck and there were no sparks. It was just spur of the moment. He's my friend, you know, and - "  
  
"Dawn, Dawn! Calm down. I'm not mad."  
  
"You - you're not?"  
  
"No. Besides, Harry already told me. Look, it's not like I've never kissed Hermione. It's just friendly. It's not like you're sleeping with him." Ron paused. "Are you?"  
  
"No, you idiot!" She shoved him and he shoved her back a little too hard. Dawn fell to the floor, but not before pulling Ron down with her. He fell right on top of her. They were tickling each other, when they heard someone clear their throat in the doorway.  
  
Buffy and Angel looked as if they might burst into hysterical laughter at the look on their faces.  
  
"We weren't doing anything. I swear," Dawn said, standing.  
  
"We were just - "  
  
"Wrestling?" Buffy offered.  
  
"Uh - yeah."  
  
Buffy arched an eyebrow. "Ron, I'd like to speak with my sister. Do you mind?"  
  
"Nope, nope, nope." He shook his head and Buffy literally bit her tongue to keep from laughing as he walked out with a just as amused Angel.  
  
"You're not going to lecture me, are you?" Dawn asked tentatively.  
  
"Not exactly. Look, you love him. And I get that there are certain things you want to do with him. Just promise me you'll be careful."  
  
Dawn smiled. "I promise. What do you think was one of the reasons I stopped him before?"  
  
Buffy just arched her eyebrows. "I mean - never mind."  
  
Buffy grinned as Dawn walked out. "Have fun at the prom!" She called after her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Dawn walked into Hermione's room on Saturday morning. There was less then a day left until the prom - it was that night - and Dawn had a big problem -  
  
She had nothing to wear. Dress robes were required, and she didn't have any.  
  
"'Mione, I have a small problem."  
  
"What? Are you worried about tonight?"  
  
"Sort of."  
  
Hermione gaped. "Are you and Ron going to - "  
  
"Shush 'Mione! We're not going to do anything you and Harry aren't going to do."  
  
Hermione giggled. "So, what's the problem?"  
  
"It's so stupid."  
  
"Try me."  
  
Dawn sighed. "I have nothing to wear."  
  
She couldn't help it - Hermione laughed.  
  
"Gee, thanks a lot." Dawn grumbled.  
  
"I'm sorry. It's just - do you have a dress or something?"  
  
Dawn nodded. "Yeah. This is going to sound truly pathetic of me, but I found my dream prom dress over the summer on sale in this little shop for - well, cheaper then most dresses, and I brought it with me. I didn't want to leave it home. I figured I'd find a way to wear it and, look, opportunity presents itself."  
  
"I see the problem - you don't have dress robes do you?"  
  
"'Mione, I don't have ANY robes, hence the problem." She blew air through her teeth.  
  
"Well, I can help. Do you have any money?"  
  
"Yeah, my sister gave me some in case I needed some stuff for tonight - why?"  
  
"Because I have the solution to your problems. There's this really small shop in Hogsmeade that sells robes and things like that. I could take you if you want. You're lucky because this is the last Hogsmeade weekend."  
  
Dawn pulled Hermione into a hug. "Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!"  
  
"Don't mention it."  
  
"Alright, I'm going to go get my money." She squealed and practically skipped off to her room.  
  
"What's she so happy about?" Ron asked, coming into Hermione's room.  
  
"I just helped her out with a problem. You're a lucky guy Ron. Dawn is truly an odd, but amazing person."  
  
"Yeah, I know."  
  
"You'd better know, unless you want Buffy to break your legs." Harry said smiling.  
  
"Oh shut up Harry."  
  
Harry and Hermione laughed.  
  
Dawn came up behind Ron and put a finger to her lips. She put her hands over his eyes.  
  
"Guess who?"  
  
"Parvati."  
  
"PARVATI?!" Dawn screeched.  
  
Ron laughed and Dawn hit him in the arm.  
  
"C'mon Dawnie. I'm only kidding."  
  
Dawn pretended to be angry.  
  
"Uh- I love you."  
  
Dawn smiled. "I love you too."  
  
"Awe." Hermione and Harry chorused.  
  
"Oh shut up." Dawn and Ron said in unison.  
  
The four of them started laughing.  
  
And continued.  
  
And just didn't stop.  
  
A/N: See? Big, fluffy fun :) Review! 


	22. Seven Years, Moving On

A/N: To all my favorite people (LoL)  
  
Kat_77546: My muse wants me to let you know that she loves you ;)  
  
Yes, I really did write the song that Morgana sings at the end of this chapter, only I wrote it for my four best friends who I've known for seven years. Pretty creepy coincidence, huh?  
  
Chapter Twenty-Two - Seven Years, Moving On  
  
Even at a time like this when the morning seems so far / Think that pain belongs to you but it's happened to us all / It's all right to make mistakes you're only human / Inside everybody's hiding something / Take time to catch your breath and choose your moment  
  
You brought this on yourself / And it's high time you left it there / Lie here and rest your head / And dream of something else instead  
  
"Slide" - Dido  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ron and Harry were standing at the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"What's taking them so long?"  
  
"Am I the only one who remembers the costume dance? That was just for Halloween."  
  
Ron groaned.  
  
"We're coming!" The two girls called.  
  
Harry's eyes just about bulged out of his head. Ron was right behind him.  
  
Hermione had her hair in a French twist with little wisps of curls framing her face. She was wearing light green dress robes and the necklace Harry gave her for Christmas.  
  
Dawn was also wearing Ron's Christmas gift, but that wasn't exactly what he was looking at. Hermione helped her pick out deep blue dress robes that were open in the front, showing off the dress that she had been talking incessantly about all day. It was a light blue, sleeveless gown that dipped slightly in the front and formed to her body until the hips, where it flowed out. Her hair was crimped and held back by a single, sapphire beret.  
  
"Wow. I mean - wow." Ron said.  
  
"You mean it?"  
  
"A resounding yes." Dawn blushed.  
  
"C'mon, we're going to be late." Hermione said, and the four of them walked out, arms linked, content that everything was finally all right with the world.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Pain, I can't sleep..."  
  
Dawn sat down happily at one of the tables. Ron was currently dancing with Hermione and Harry was dancing with Lavender. She needed a rest, when a slow song came on.  
  
The current pairs were still dancing with each other. Dawn glanced around, smiling, when her eyes fell on Malfoy. He was sitting alone, looking longingly on at the dance floor.  
  
Dawn stood up and smoothed her dress. She walked over to him.  
  
"I'm not in the mood, Summers."  
  
"Malfoy, can you get over yourself for just a few minutes and come dance with me?"  
  
He looked up at her. "Is this some kind of joke?"  
  
"No. No joke."  
  
"Won't your boyfriend be mad?"  
  
"Let me handle Ron." She held out her hand. He just looked at her. "I'm only offering once."  
  
Malfoy shook his head. "I must be insane," he grumbled as he took her hand and led her out onto the dance floor.  
  
"Hermione, tell me I'm seeing things." Ron said, a little angrier then he meant to be.  
  
"Ron," Hermione turned his head towards her, "Leave her. She can take care of herself. She's not going to go off and snog him in a broom closet. It's just a dance. So, lay off a bit."  
  
Ron looked over warily as Malfoy put his hands on Dawn's waist. He clenched his teeth as Dawn put her arms around Malfoy's neck.  
  
"So...." Dawn said.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Dawn sighed. "Look, I know that this is going to sound trite, but at the risk of being called a stupid Mudblood - are you okay?"  
  
Malfoy laughed a little. "Oh yeah. I'm bloody fantastic. My father's in Azkaban and my mother disowned me for not helping him. It's going to be an interesting summer at the Malfoy Manor."  
  
Dawn flinched at the edge in his tone.  
  
Malfoy shook his head. "Look," he sighed, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to dump all of this on you. It's just - everything is so fucked up that I don't know which way is up anymore."  
  
"I know the feeling."  
  
"You? How could you?"  
  
Dawn searched his face for any sign of humor or sarcasm. There was none. "I can't believe you just said that. You have no idea what I went through when my mother died. And then my sister? That was the worst, because I damn well knew that it was my fault."  
  
"Dawn - "  
  
"You think being the key is fun? To have this power coursing through you that you barely acknowledged for over a year, and then suddenly, you're forced to use it?" She lowered her voice. "You have no idea what this has been like for me." She looked up into his eyes. "Or maybe, you do." Malfoy looked right back at her. "Look, I'm sorry things had to happen this way, I really am. But there's nothing I can do."  
  
"I know," He said. "I'm sorry."  
  
"You're sorry?"  
  
"Yes Summers, contrary to popular belief, I do have a heart." Dawn smiled wryly.  
  
The song ended to applause and, to Dawn's immense shock, Malfoy hugged her.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Dawn pulled away. "For what?"  
  
"I'm not sure. I guess - for putting things in perspective. I'm sure I'll figure it all out some day."  
  
Dawn smiled. "You're welcome."  
  
Malfoy put his hands in his pockets. "Well, Weasly's waiting. You'd better go over there. It looks like he could kill a slayer with that glare."  
  
Dawn laughed. "Probably." She walked a few feet away, but she came back a few seconds later and wordlessly gave Malfoy a kiss on the cheek. She smiled at him and walked away. Malfoy was shocked, but smiled back.  
  
Ron looked like he was about to spit nails. "What the hell was that about?"  
  
Dawn shrugged. "Just putting things in perspective." His glare didn't soften, so she kissed him. "I love you."  
  
Ron sighed. "I love you too. One day, you'll explain all of this to me."  
  
"Agreed."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Alright Seventh Years, this is the last dance," Oz announced, "and we would like to invite the professors out onto the dance floor." There was a round of applause as Buffy and Angel finally stepped down. "The Dingoes would like to present Morgana Tyler, the newest addition to our band. She wrote this song especially for this event. Hope you all like it. So, grab your partners, and let's get this show on the road. Congratulations and we'll see you all at graduation!"  
  
There was a round of applause and then the music started. There was a short interlude before Morgana started to sing.  
  
I walked in here all alone  
  
  
  
No one to turn to, no one to call my own  
  
I was afraid, I was ignorant  
  
And then there was you,  
  
There was you.  
  
Dawn curled her arms around Ron's neck as he put his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. She leaned her head on his shoulder. They danced in silence for a minute or two, just enjoying each other's company.  
  
It's been seven years  
  
And now we're movin' on  
  
It's been seven years  
  
And now we're breakin' up, movin' on  
  
Seven years playing the same old game  
  
Seven years  
  
And now nothing's the same.  
  
"One week left, huh?" Dawn said to break the silence.  
  
"Yeah. It's weird knowing that after next Saturday, we won't come here anymore. I mean, sure, there'll be Alumni Day, but it won't be the same. I'm going to miss it. I won't have this anymore."  
  
"But you'll always have me." She said, looking up into his eyes. "Always."  
  
She tilted her face up and kissed him.  
  
Seven years, and look where we are  
  
Developing new lives, we're drifting apart  
  
Thinking back on all the times we've shared  
  
There you will be  
  
There you'll be.  
  
Buffy and Angel were dancing nearby. Buffy looked over at her sister and smiled. "She's all grown up."  
  
"Yeah. And leaving soon."  
  
"Hush you. I'm having a moment. Don't spoil it."  
  
Angel smiled and Buffy stood on tiptoes to kiss him.  
  
It's been seven years  
  
And now we're movin' on  
  
It's been seven years  
  
And now we're breakin' up, movin' on  
  
Seven years playing the same old game  
  
Seven years  
  
And now nothing's the same.  
  
"It's weird." Harry said.  
  
"What is?" Hermione was dancing close, leaning her cheek against his chest.  
  
"That in a week, we won't be able to say, 'Yeah, I go to Hogwarts' anymore. It'll be, 'Yeah, I graduated from Hogwarts.' It's so..."  
  
"Disappointing?" Hermione offered.  
  
"Yeah." Harry said softly.  
  
Hermione gazed up at Harry and gave him a soft, understanding smile. He kissed her forehead.  
  
Seven years  
  
And now nothing's the same... 


	23. Take My Hand

A/N: Jumping straight to the chapter. First times...that's all I'm saying.  
  
The chapter title and all song lyrics are taken from "Take My Hand" by Dido. I'm putting the time at the top of each section. You'll see.  
  
I'm sorry if I got Dawn's birth month wrong, but I needed it during the summer for what I say. Sorry.  
  
Chapter Twenty-Three - Take My Hand  
  
Touch my skin and tell me what you're thinking / Take my hand and show me where we're going / Lie down next to me, look into my eyes / And tell me, oh tell me what you're seeing / So sit on top of the world and tell me how you're feeling / What you feel now is what I feel for you.  
  
Take my hand and if I'm lying to you / I'll always be alone, if I'm lying to you.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
2:00 AM  
  
Ron and Dawn were sitting in Dawn's room talking. Ron kept assuring her that he wasn't going to leave her. Dawn was still worried that things weren't going to work out.  
  
"What do I have to do to make you realize that I have no intention of leaving?"  
  
"I'm opting for kissing." She leaned over and kissed him.  
  
"I like kissing." He murmured against her mouth. "So do I." She responded.  
  
She felt him smile against her lips. The two of them started kissing, and things were slowly but surely heating up. Dawn felt Ron's hands brush over her back and it sent shivers down her spine. His tongue was teasing hers, and it took every ounce of will power she possessed to stop herself from rushing through what she knew was inevitably about to happen.  
  
They ended up lying down on her bed, both of their robes already somewhere on the floor. Dawn was reaching for the buttons on Ron's shirt and Ron had just unzipped Dawn's gown when he pulled away.  
  
"What?" Dawn asked, breathlessly.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
Dawn nodded. "I'm sure. I'm very sure. Are- are you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
She kissed his neck just below his earlobe and said, just above a whisper, "I love you."  
  
Ron smiled and cupped her cheek in his hand. "And I love you."  
  
He kissed her, their hands roaming everywhere at once, and...you can figure out the rest.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
See my eyes, they carry your reflection / Watch my lips and hear the words I'm telling you / Give your trust to me and look into my heart / And show me, show me what you're doing / So sit on top of the world and tell me how you're feeling / What you feel is what I feel for you.  
  
Take my hand and if I'm lying to you / I'll always be alone, if I'm lying to you / Take your time, if I'm lying to you / I know you'll find that you believe me, you believe me, you believe me.  
  
You believe me.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
3:00 AM  
  
Hermione was awakened by a soft kiss on her lips. She was still sitting in the Common Room with a book in her lap.  
  
"Mmm..." She opened her eyes. "This is a very pleasant way to be awakened."  
  
"I thought so." He went to pull her to her feet. "C'mon."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I have a surprise for you." He yanked her up.  
  
"Harry, it's three in the morning and I'm in my pajamas."  
  
"I know, but I want to show you something."  
  
'You weren't so anxious when we were in my room earlier.' Hermione thought. They were alone, kissing like there was no tomorrow, but it hadn't gone any farther, even though she desperately wanted it to. She loved him - what was it going to take for him to see that? He said it once but - she wanted to her it again.  
  
Grumbling, Hermione climbed with Harry under the Invisibility Cloak. "This had better be worth it, Potter."  
  
Harry grinned mischievously. "Oh believe me Granger, it is."  
  
The trip through the hallways with Harry was both silent and very uneventful. She kept glancing at him and he had that same goofy smile plastered on his face.  
  
When they reached what Hermione recognized as the Astronomy Tower, Harry crept up behind Hermione and covered her eyes.  
  
"What are you - "  
  
"Shh." The sound if his whisper made her tingle all over. The feeling was only personified as he kissed her neck slowly and deliberately. Hermione melted in his arms.  
  
"Alohomora," Harry muttered and then whispered, right next to her ear, "Take ten steps and then keep your eyes closed." She nodded.  
  
"One, two, three." He whispered. Harry's hands were still over her eyes. She was finding it increasingly difficult to count with the feeling of his breath on her neck.  
  
"Eight, nine, ten."  
  
Harry stepped away, and Hermione couldn't help but be disappointed. He must have opened a window, because she felt a cool breeze in the room. She suddenly realized how warm the room was - or was that just her?  
  
"Okay." Harry said. "Open your eyes."  
  
Hermione opened her eyes slowly and had to bite back a gasp.  
  
The room was full of small, lit candles. She looked out the window and saw the lake in the moonlight. It was absolutely beautiful.  
  
"Well?"  
  
Hermione faced him. "It's perfect." She said smiling.  
  
"Perfect for what, exactly?" Harry said, putting his hands around his waist.  
  
Hermione stood on her tiptoes and gently kissed his earlobe, sending shivers down his spine. She whispered, "Something like this," and pulled his mouth to hers.  
  
They didn't waste any time. In a matter of minutes, Harry's tee shirt was on the ground and Hermione's sweatshirt was gone, leaving her in a camisole, and him topless.  
  
Hermione pulled back for just a second and looked into his eyes. She kissed him and said, "I love you."  
  
Harry kissed her. "I love you too."  
  
That was all the confirmation she needed.  
  
They kissed again, this time a little more driven then before, and...you can decide how the scene plays out.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Feel the sun on your face and tell me what you're thinking / Catch the snow on your tongue and show me how it tastes.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
6:00 AM  
  
Hermione awoke contentedly curled in Harry's arms. The sun was just coming up and she wrapped her robes around her as she went over to the window. She felt Harry come up behind her and wrap his arms around her waist She leaned back into him. He kissed the top of her head.  
  
"We should go down to breakfast." Hermione said sighing.  
  
Harry turned her around. "In a little while." He kissed her, slowly and thoroughly, putting his whole self into it. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into the kiss.  
  
This, in her eyes, was absolutely perfect.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Take my hand and if I'm lying to you / I'll always be alone, if I'm lying to you /Take your time and if I'm lying to you / I know you'll find that you believe me, you believe me  
  
You believe me.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
7:00 AM  
  
Ron awoke to the feeling of fingers trailing down his chest. He smiled and looked over at Dawn, who was already awake.  
  
"Been up a while?" He asked her.  
  
"No. Just a few minutes." She leaned up to kiss him.  
  
"Good morning." He said, still kissing her.  
  
"Yes, it is a VERY good morning." She kissed him one last time and stood up, wrapping a sheet around her.  
  
She walked over to her dresser and pulled out a pair of plaid pajama pants and a red tank top. She felt arms go around her and pull her down onto the bed. She laughed.  
  
Dawn turned her head around and kissed him, not ever wanting to stop.  
  
"Dawn," Ron said between kisses, "as much as I'd love to stay here all day," still kissing, "we need to leave before your sister comes looking for you."  
  
Dawn groaned. "Do we have to?" They were still kissing.  
  
"Unfortunately."  
  
Dawn sighed and pulled back a little bit. "We should go change then."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
She kissed him again and smiled. "I love you Ron."  
  
"I love you too Dawn. Always."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
7:30 AM  
  
It was like Seventh Year pajama day. All of the Seventh Years went down to breakfast in their pajamas, no exception. 'There must have been a memo.' Dawn mused wryly. She was sitting next to Ron. He said something and she laughed.  
  
"Did we miss the memo about the pj's?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Apparently so." Angel said. "Look at those two." He motioned to Ron and Dawn. "They - "  
  
"Oh my." Buffy said, realization striking her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Angel, look at her face. When was the last time you saw me like that?"  
  
"This morning, but I don't - " It finally hit him. "Oh. Now, Buffy, stay calm." He said, putting his hands on her shoulders.  
  
"You know what?"  
  
"What?"  
  
Buffy smiled. "I'm happy for her. They're in love. Besides, she's already asked if she can go live with him."  
  
"Who's living with who?" Xander asked yawning.  
  
"Oh, Dawn wants to move in with Harry, Ron, and Hermione after the summer."  
  
"And you're letting her?" Faith feigned surprised. "B, I'm shocked."  
  
"Hush Faith. She's allowed."  
  
"Why after the summer?" Xander asked.  
  
"Because she won't be eighteen until July."  
  
Buffy looked at Willow and they both burst out laughing, for no reason in particular, besides the fact that all was well with the world -  
  
For now.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
8:00 PM, Friday  
  
The Seventh Year's last week at Hogwarts went by in the blink of an eye, so fast that before anyone knew it, it was June 2nd. Preparations were being made for the ceremony - a huge area was being set up outside for the graduates and their family members. Between graduation and the final Quidditch match for the cup between Gryffindor and Slytherin (Gryffindor won), everyone was in a frenzy.  
  
That night, Buffy was struggling to settle down her very rowdy group for her very last story-telling session - coming back to life.  
  
"Guys." Buffy called. "People!" Buffy struggled to get their attention. "Oh, screw it - SHUT UP!" Faith yelled. The room went silent.  
  
"Christ, I forgot how bad Senioritis was." Buffy shook her head. "I know that most of you are excited about tomorrow, but please, calm down for two hours, and then you can all go on your merry way." There was a nod of agreement. "Okay, so, where were we? Ah yes. I died. Well, obviously, I'm not dead anymore. This is how it happened."  
  
Buffy launched into a long story about how Willow was able to bring her back and how she was so disoriented and confused that she didn't know what was what. She had the class on the edge of their seats until she got to the part about Iris.  
  
"So I told Faith to hand me a pen and said, 'Looks like we're going to Hogwarts.' And the rest you know. We came, we fought, we conquered. That's pretty much the end."  
  
The class was completely silent.  
  
"Wow. That's amazing." Ron said even though he heard the story before.  
  
"Yeah, I guess I've had an eventful life. Most slayers do. Ask Faith."  
  
"Oh yeah, jail is loads of fun." Faith joked. Some of the Muggle born students laughed.  
  
"Look, I didn't tell you this story all year to impress you. I - we told you so you would learn something. No matter how bad life gets, it can always get worse. And once it does...one person can make a difference as long as they have friends. Willow and Xander have been with me from the beginning. And, as much as I hate to admit it, I couldn't fight without them."  
  
"Awe Buffy." Willow said.  
  
"I feel a group hug coming on." Xander said, rubbing his hands together.  
  
"NO!" Willow and Buffy yelled.  
  
The whole class burst into hysterical laughter as Xander pulled both of them into a hug. The laughter resonated throughout the castle.  
  
It was music to Professor Dumbledore's ears.  
  
"Well Rupert, I didn't think she could do it. You knew all along."  
  
"Knew what, Albus?" Giles asked.  
  
"That Buffy could bring laughter back to these students. This has been the most eventful and interesting year in their very short lives. And I have you and the other professors, and Dawn, to thank for it."  
  
"Albus, truly, I'm honored, but..."  
  
"No. In fact, I have an idea. Graduation will be truly special this year, I can assure you.  
  
Now, for my plans."  
  
A/N: Next chapter, its graduation. And then, that's it folks. Chapter 24 on the way, followed by final chapter 25. 


	24. You've Only Just Begun

A/N: Sorry I didn't update yesterday like I usually do. I was on a date ::smiles::  
  
Anyways...This is one of the two last chapters. There will be one more after this one, and then - it's sequel time! LoL Yes, I have already started writing it. In fact, an occurrence in Chapter twenty-five will be the lead in for the sequel...not telling :)  
  
I will probably have a long author's note next chapter - I have quite a few of you to thank :)  
  
All lyrics in this chapter are taken from "Time of Your Life" by Green Day - yes, I know, I am making a big deal out of their graduation, but I can't help it! I wasn't going to, but one of the "speeches" just came to me while I was thinking about how to tie "the phrase" into the plot - guess what? I found out how :)  
  
Tora - I am thinking about killing somone off in the sequel. Once again, not sure. But there will, in all probability, be another MAJOR plot twister in the sequel that no one will EVER expect.And there will be more Malfoy parts...heh heh  
  
Strawberry - The reason why it reflected back was because of the key's power that Dawn gave him - it wasn't the same reason that it did when he was a baby. I know that it's confusing, but I WILL be going into more detail with this in the sequel.  
  
TigerBlak - I'm putting a dedication in the sequel. The whole sequel is dedicated to him.  
  
UltraHighDragonFly - Yup. You're right. Here's ten galleons. I'm glad you loved it. That's what I'm here for.  
  
TrinityLast - Good to know, good to know. Ah yes, school. I know what THAT'S like ::grumbles something about AP US History outlines:: There are 2 more chapters in THIS one, and then the begining of the sequel will be out a week later. I PROMISE ::crosses heart::  
  
HERE'S THE FIC!  
  
Chapter Twenty-Four - You've Only Just Begun  
  
Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road / Time grabs you by the wrist directs you where to go / So make the best of this test and don't ask why / It's not a question but a lesson learned in time / It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right / I hope you had the time of your life.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The ceremony wasn't until twelve o'clock, but by nine, the castle was already bustling with activity. Families were showing up, arrangemnets were being made for parents who had stayed overnight, mostly for students whose parents were both Muggle-born.  
  
Harry and Ron were sitting in the Great Hall with all six of the other Weasly children, their parents, and Sirius and Remus. Hermione was talking to Dawn. Dawn said something and they both started laughing.  
  
Harry and Ron sighed.  
  
"Awe - is ickle Ronniekins smitten?" Fred asked. "That's so cute" George said, clasping his hands together over-dramatically and batting his eyelashes.  
  
Ron glared and grumbled. Harry laughed.  
  
Dawn came over and put her arms around Ron's waist. "Guess who." She whispered seductively.  
  
"Dawnine, my parents are here." He murmered out of the corner of his mouth. She giggled and kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"Ron, be a dear and go - oh, who's this?" Molly Weasly asked, suddenly curious.  
  
"Oh! Right - uh, Mom, this is Dawn. Dawn, this is my mom."  
  
"Nice to meet you Mrs. Weasly."  
  
"Please, call me Molly."  
  
Dawn smiled and looked up to see Xander waving her over. "Excuse me, I'll be right back."  
  
Molly waited until she was out of earshot to say, "She seems like a nice girl."  
  
"She is mum." He said, looking in her direction. "She really is."  
  
"Harry, your girlfriend wants you."  
  
Harry was yanked out of the stupor he had fallen into and glanced around for Hermione. Sirius laughed. "Oh, that was great - the same trick worked on your father." He was still laughing.  
  
"Shut up Sirius."  
  
Sirius wiped the tears from his eyes and cleared his throat. "So, how are things between you and Hermione?"  
  
"I love her." He said honestly.  
  
"Ah, yes. Love. I knew you did. The way you two were always giving each other googly eyes all the time - and don't deny it. It's like your father and your mother all over again. And Prongs denied it too."  
  
Harry grumbled something under his breath. "Sirius, stop torturing the boy, really," Remus said smiling. "Harry, Dumbledore wants to see you, Hermione and Ron."  
  
Harry nodded and walked off.  
  
"Bye lover!" Sirus called across the room. Hermione glowered at him and Harry hid his face in his hands. Ron and Dawn couldn't stop laughing.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Harry, do you remember the plan?" Professor Dumbledore asked him.  
  
"Yup - Dawn went to get it right now."  
  
"Get what?" Buffy asked, taking her seat.  
  
"Nothing!" The three of them lied. They eyed each other and went off to find their own seats.  
  
"Professor, what's going on? My friends have been sneaking around behind my back all morning, and now the Terrible Trio are in on it?" She put a hand on her hip. "What are they plotting?"  
  
"You'll see. I promise." He offered her a candy. "Lemon drop?"  
  
Buffy eyed him suspiciously.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
So take the photographs and still frames in your mind / Hang it on a shelf in good health and good times / Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial / For what it's worth, it was worth all the while / It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right / I hope you had the time of your life.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
By twelve, everyone was assembled, and the ceremony was about to start. Hundreds of setas were filled with happy family member and excited Seventh Years. The teachers were sitting on a make-shift stage, behind which hung the banners of the four houses and the Hogwarts crest.  
  
Dumbledore stood up and everyone went silent.  
  
"Welcome friends and family. Welcome professors, and, most of all, congratulations Seventh Years." There was a roar of applause. "After today, you will be moving on to bigger things. Some of you may become Aurors. Some of you may work for the Ministry of Magic. Some of you may even end up teaching somewhere down the road.  
  
This has probably been the most eventful, adventure-filled seven years of your lives. It certainly has been interesting, to say the very least."  
  
"Interesting is an understatement." Harry mumbled under his breath.  
  
"I hope to see you all at Alumni Day next year. But until then, I only have one thing to say - good luck to all of you in your lives ahead."  
  
Dumbledore stepped down to another round of applause and Professor McGonagall stepped up. "I have a few announcemnets to make.  
  
Beginning next year, we will only have one Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and one Muggle Defense professor. Professor O'Flaherty and Professor Summers are leaving to be married."  
  
Buffy smiled and squeezed Angel's hand.  
  
"Best of luck to both of them. On a higher note, we have recieved word that Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown gave both been asked to work at the Ministry of Magic office in America. Good luck to both of you." Parvati smiled.  
  
"Now, a few words from our Head Boy, Harry Potter." (like you didn't know.....)  
  
Harry stepped up onto the stage. He looked over at Dawn who nodded.  
  
"I was asked to make a short speech thanking our professors for seven great years and, while I'm sure we're all greatful for the lessons we've learned, I would actually like to thank one professor in particular -  
  
Professor Buffy Summers."  
  
Buffy glanced over at Dumbledore who had that familiar twinkle in his eye. She looked at Angel who gave her a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Professor Summers has had the most.....interesting class all year. She revealed her entire life to us without a second thought, and that says something.  
  
"But, if there's one thing I've learned from Buffy Summers, it's to believe in yourself, and to know what you can accomplish. Buffy once told me to never doubt something evil will happen, and to believe in myself and my friends. She's taught me a great deal about life even though she herself is only three short years older then us. So, I only think it's appropriate to give something back.  
  
"Let me fill you in on a little secret. Buffy was given the class protector award at her own high school prom, and a few months later, that award was broken, almost detroyed. Though I'm sure she will never admit this, she was very upset by this. So, I think it's only fair that we reapeat history."  
  
Dawn walked up and handed the same gold umbrella that Buffy recieved at her prom to Harry. It was as good as new.  
  
"The Seventh Years would like to present this to you, Professor Summers, not only for being our protector, because we all knew you were capable of that from the beginning, but also for being our mentor - and our friend."  
  
Buffy had tears in her eyes as she walked over to Harry to tumultous applause. She gave him a hug to rival all hugs.  
  
"You shouldn't have done this." She whispered.  
  
"Yes I should have. I wouldn't have been able to get through all of this without you. Plus, you know, you helped me and Hermione get together."  
  
She laughed at his goofish grin. "Thank you."  
  
"Nah, thank you."  
  
Harry and Buffy sat down and Ron stepped up to a huge amount of aplause from his fellow Gryffindors - since he had become captain Sixth Year (grin) they had failed to lose the Quidditch Cup.  
  
"Another year gone, another Quidditch match won." More applause. Dawn shook her head and Hermione rolled her eyes. They were both grinning.  
  
"But enough from me. It is my honor to present my best friend and Head Girl, Hermione Granger." (once again, are you REALLY surprised?)  
  
He clapped and gave Hermione a hug before sittinng down.  
  
"Good afternoon."Hermione looked at her notes and then shook her head. "You know what? I don't want to read this."  
  
Ron leaned over to Harry. "What is she doing?" Harry shook his head. "I have no idea." Ron glanced at Dawn who shrugged.  
  
"For the past seven years, we've been like one big family. Ten months out of the year, we come to Hogwarts, the greatest school the wizarding world has to offer. But, it's more then that. It's home. A place where we've developed from eleven year old children to seventeen and eighteen year old wizards and witches, and now I'm wondering - where do we go from here? Have we really changed at all? Are we still the class clowns who always play jokes on other houses? Are we still - " She glanced at Harry and Ron, and smiled. "Are we still the Terrible Trio, who's always together, causing more trouble then all four houses combined? Are we still the people everybody loves to hate. Or - maybe, just maybe, have we finally discovered who we REALLY are. Maybe we have an idea. Maybe we have a dream. But we still have our whole lives ahead of us. Seven years, and we're convinced that we know all the ways of the world.  
  
"But looking back on this year, I've realized something - nobody knows what the whole world is like because nobody knows what fate is going to throw at them next. We may have been a hero, we may have been a trickster, we may have been ignorant, but that doesn't mean we have to stay that way. This is the first day of the rest of our lives. One road is ending and another is beginng and the road we choose today may change. We don't know everything, no matter how much we hate to admit it. Sometimes I wonder if we even know ourselves.  
  
"So, I'd like to end by quoting a few dear friends of mine who may have realized the value of their advice long before I did. But I understand it now.  
  
"You think you know who you are, what's to come. But you've only just begun."  
  
~*  
  
Hermione's speech was the most interesting of all the ones that followed. By the end of everything, the students were antsy to leave.  
  
Dumbledore stepped up again. "I believe that we are finished. Ms. Granger said it best. This road of your lives is finished, a new one about to begin.  
  
"Congratulations Seventh Years - you've made it."  
  
The Seventh Years stood up cheering and threw their hats in the air.  
  
"Congratulations." Ron said to Harry and Hermione.  
  
"Yeah. Congrats." Hermione said. The three of them got into a group hug. Dawn waited for them to finish, but found herself being pulled in by Ron. He kissed her on the cheek.  
  
The four of them linked arms and walked back into the castle for the feast in the Great Hall.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right / I hope you had the time of your life...  
  
A/N: I know, this is most definitely NOT how it should have happened, but you know what? I ran out of ideas after Hermione's speech. Now you know why I never mentioned who the Head Boy and Girl were.surprised? 


	25. The Terrible Trio and the Band of Scoobi...

**NEW Author's Note**: After almost two years, I tried to come back and continue with this universe and finish the sequel – but it just couldn't happen. This was my very first fanfiction, and as such, it was good for what it was, but I've done a lot of growing since then, and I just can't finish the sequel. I thought it would only be fair to come back and change this chapter so there would be no lead in for a sequel. I feel bad promising something that now doesn't exist, but I felt even worse leaving something unfinished for so long that I had no intention of finishing after a few months of abandonment that has now become a few years. This is it. Maybe one day I'll be able to start again, but for now, this is it. I hope you enjoyed reading the story and will read some of my other fics as well. Thanks – it was a great trip, and you all made it that way.

Original A/N: This is it my loves. The final chapter - ::Sigh:: I can't believe I made it this far, and I have A LOT to say and A LOT of you to thank, so bear with me.

On a brighter note, I've created my yahoo group. The link is . Please visit if you want to read the two scenes between Buffy and Angel, the one between Ron and Dawn, and the one between Harry and Hermione. I can't say that it's very good NC-17 material, but I tried. I can read explicit sex scenes, but I can't write them. If you want to join the group and post your own stuff, feel free. Everything I write will be in the files, and will be accessible whether or not you are a member of the group. So if you don't have yahoo, don't panic - you can still read : )  
  
PLEASE feel free to visit my personal website at for update info and just the occasional rant.  
  
And now, my thank yous:  
  
Thank you to fairysk8ter, Riverchic1998, Faith, Roswell428, fastpilot, and Sammy. You've all been putting up with my rants, writer's blocks, and computer failures since day one, and I'm so glad you've stuck around. It's been great, and I hope you look for the sequel. Thank you for trusting my storyline, even when I wasn't sure those things were going to work out. Thank you SOOOO much.  
  
VERY special thanks to TrinityLast, who offered to be my beta (even though I said no, it was great of you to ask) and putting my story on your website. I've gotten NUMEROUS reviews and ideas because of it, so THANK YOU.  
  
Also, special thanks to TigerBlak, my new e-mail penpal (LoL). You've given me quite a few excellent reviews, and keep reminding me that there IS a sequel I should be working on. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!  
  
Now, ONWARD! This IS the final chapter.sniff  
  
Chapter Twenty-Five -The Terrible Trio and the Band of Scoobies Depart  
  
The whistle sounded and Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Dawn barely jumped onto the Hogwarts Express in time. They sat down in the last car laughing.  
  
"This is great. No more Dursleys, no more having to pretend I don't exist. This is like heaven."  
  
Hermione laughed and curled up in his arms. Dawn was off in a daze.  
  
"Dawn? Hey - you in there?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, sorry. Guess I dozed off."  
  
"You're still not upset about your sister not letting you come live with us until after July 5th, are you?"  
  
Dawn grumbled and then sighed when she saw the look on his face. "A little. But you know what? It'll fly by. And - you guys can come visit me. After all, the wedding IS on Halloween."  
  
"They don't waste any time, do they?" Harry asked.  
  
"Buffy and Angel?" He nodded and she started laughing. "Waste time? Those two? Now THAT'S amusing. I give it two months after she gets married before she's announcing that she's pregnant."  
  
"Really?" Ron asked.  
  
"Nah. She wants to wait to have kids. I know my sister all too well. She's still all into the slayage. She won't want a kid any time soon."  
  
Harry and Hermione were just looking at each other. Ron arched an eyebrow and grabbed Dawn's arm. "That's our cue to go."  
  
"Have fun you two!" Dawn called back.  
  
They didn't hear her.  
  
Surprisingly enough, Ron and Dawn found an empty car towards the back of the train. Ron sat with his back to the window. Dawn crawled into his arms with her back against his chest. Ron ran his fingers up and down her arms. She leaned her head up and kissed him. For a few moments, they stayed like that, his hands on her shoulders, one of her hands on his cheek. She pulled away and smiled. And yawned.  
  
"Sorry." Dawn said sheepishly.  
  
"Don't worry about it. Go to sleep."  
  
"But - "  
  
"Shh." He put a finger to her lips to silence her. Dawn curled up in Ron's arms and, against her own will, fell asleep.

_She dreamt that she was standing in the middle of the Quidditch pitch dancing, a smile on her face. There was a big party going on – it looked like Buffy and Angel's wedding, but she couldn't be sure. She was spinning and spinning when a hand on her arm, made her stop. It was Ron. Suddenly everyone disappeared, and there was no one but she and him. He took her hand and suddenly, they were on his broomstick, flying above the clouds. He smiled at her. She smiled at him. And everything was alright._

Dawn awoke suddenly, but there was a smile on her face. She glanced up at Ron. The steady rise and fall of his chest told her he had fallen asleep.  
  
Dawn leaned up and slowly kissed Ron awake. She felt him kiss back a few seconds later. Dawn sighed as he pulled back and looked into his eyes. "I love you."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
Dawn entwined her hands in his and smiled, but it looked painful. "Y' know, I'm going to miss you. So much." She was tearing up already.  
  
"Hey." He turned her head around to face him and kissed her. "You'll see me soon. We can owl each other."  
  
"But I don't have an owl."  
  
Ron just grinned. Dawn completely turned her body around when she saw the look on his face. "What'd you do?"  
  
He smiled, got up, and went into the hall. "Harry, come on in!"  
  
Harry and Hermione came into their car with a cage in their hands. Inside was a small snowy owl with a black spot on its forehead.  
  
"Happy VERY early birthday from the three of us!" Hermione said happily.  
  
"You shouldn't have. I mean, you really - wow." Dawn didn't know what to say so she resorted to hugging Harry and Hermione and giving Ron a kiss, which lasted a bit longer then expected. They pulled apart when they heard whoops and hoots coming from the doorway.  
  
Dawn pulled away blushing and glared furiously at Buffy, Angel, Xander, and Willow.  
  
"I HATE you all."  
  
"You know you LOVE me." Buffy said putting her arm around Dawn's shoulders."  
  
Dawn shrugged. "Yeah, sometimes."  
  
"SOMETIMES!" Buffy squealed.  
  
Their laughter could be heard throughout the train.  
  
After getting off of the train, the group parted - Buffy, and "the Scoobies" were going in one direction to meet Giles, who would be taking them to the airport. "The Terrible Trio" was going in the opposite direction to their very own new apartment.  
  
Ron and Dawn were standing between them.  
  
"So, I'll see you on your birthday." Ron said.  
  
"Yeah. I suppose I can wait a month." Pause. "Oh, who am I kidding?" Dawn grabbed Ron's shirt and pulled him to her, her arms going around his neck. His hands automatically went to her waist. After a few minutes like that, Dawn pulled away and put a finger to his lips.  
  
"Don't say goodbye. It'll be too hard if you say goodbye."  
  
Ron pulled Dawn to him and kissed her again. She hugged him. "I'll see you soon. I promise."  
  
"I love you." She said.  
  
"I love you too."  
  
Dawn walked a few steps, but went back for one last kiss.  
  
"Dawnie, let's go!" Buffy yelled.  
  
Dawn broke away and ran towards Buffy. She didn't look back. If she looked back, she wouldn't leave.  
  
"C'mon Ron. Let's go home." Hermione said.  
  
Ron sighed. "Yeah, I'll - I'll see her in a month. I'm okay." His tone said otherwise.  
  
Hermione put her arm around his shoulders and the three of them started walking.  
  
"So, ever been to the states Ron?" Harry asked.  
  
"Nope. I can't wait."  
  
"You think we'll be able to see any place other then California?"  
  
Ron and Harry eyed each other and grinned. "Somehow, 'Mione, I think we'll see a lot more then you could ever imagine."  
  
Harry put his arm around her shoulders and the three of them walked out into the sunlight, a smile on all of their faces.

THE END


End file.
